Alien vs Predator: Extinction
by Alex McM
Summary: A group of miners are attacked by a strange creature and marines are sent in to investigate. The humans soon realise they are trapped in a vicious war between two alien races and that the only way to survive is to drive the other races...to extinction!
1. Mining for Bones

**Alien vs Predator: Extinction**

This is loosely based on a game of the same name, except only one character is the same. The rest are my own...besides the Aliens and predators. Will contain excessive gore and coarse language.

Summary:

On the mining planet LV-742, a mining team is attacked. The survivors speak of 'monsters' and a team of marines are sent in to investigate.

It is there that they dicover they are not alone on this planet and that two races are battling against each other in a vicious war...and the humans have landed right in the middle of it!

All three factions face off as they try and survive, but to do that they must drive the others to EXTINCTION!

**Mining For Bones.**

Murray wandered aimlessly through the darkness. He had lost his torch and now had to fumble around in the abyss till he reached another miner. He called out into the nothingness but the only response he received was his own echo. "FUCK!" Murray threw his helmet into the wall of the tunnel and then attempted to stomp on it. He missed his helmet but hit something else.

It was hard and bony.

Murray bent down and picked up the object. He ran his fingers over a long ridged object which ended in a large round part. Murray searched his memory for anything that felt like this and ended up with a shocking answer. It was a human spine and skull!

Murray hurled it away and ran in the opposite direction, unsure if he was delving deeper of reaching the surface. He ran further until the ground beneath him beacame slick and shiny. "What the hell?!" Murray ran a hand over the new texture of ground. It felt organic yet mechanical at the same time. Curious, he wandered further along.

He stopped at a part of the wall that looked like teeth, sharp, deadly teeth...or fangs. He felt it and it was covered in mucus. Disgusted, he stepped back. He noticed that the teeth were set inside a mouth, which was part of a unusual head that resembled a sausage, only black, shiny and with head then connected with a bony exoskeleton that was it's body.

Despite the amazement, Murray still felt like leaving. This sculpture looked too life-like!

He continued on until he stopped again as he came across another sculpture...only this one was moving!! It raised it's head and it's lips quivered. It stared at him even though it had no eyes.

Murray ran. Faster than he had ever before, until he slipped. The ground sloped and he rolled down it like it was a slide. He hit the ground hard and bounced into a thick black object. He bounced off it and landed in a steamy puddle. He gazed at his expression in the reflective liquid and also saw the scariest thing he had ever seen.

It slightly resembled the other creatures, only ten times bigger. It's head flared out in a strange crest, sort of like a crown of bone. The monster roared and it waved its multiple arms, Murray counted at least four! It couldn't move. It's hide was attached to a huge worm like sac.

Murray let out a sigh. That thing won't move so he was safe...or so he thought. The giant monster hissed and spat at something in the distance.

Murray heard and felt a huge explosion. The whole area became hotter and Murray recognised the glowing brilliance of fire.

_Marines! It must be the marines! They came to save me! I'm saved!_

The smoke cleared and six people walked into the cavernous chamber. They were unusaually tall and had strange helmets. For some strange reason, every soldier had black dreadlocks, which shone in the semi-darkness.

_These are some fucking strange soldiers! Maybe they are synthetic?_

The smaller creature from before pounced from the roof and landed on one of the troops. The beast opened it's mouth wide and a tongue shot out. The tongue itself also had teeth and they bit into the soldiers mask and then into it's skin and then the brain. Bright green blood spurted out from the soldiers head and he spasmed violently before crashing to the ground.

The others crowded around the creature and attacked it with spears.

_Why the hell are they using spears? Where the hell are the guns?!_

One soldier gazed at it's wrist. A small device was built into it and it beeped. The soldier barked a command in a language Murray had never heard before. The soldiers then all took up defensive stances.

A creepy spider or scorpion of some kind crawled out of the flames. It lunged out at one of the soldiers and latched onto his face. The soldier slashed blindly and tugged at the bug that wrapped it's many legs firmly around his skull. It's tail coiled around the soldiers throat and strangled him.

One of his commrades thrust his spear into the scorpions back. It erupted in dull green blood which sprayed onto the fallen soldier. He rolled around and screamed in the same deep growl the other one had used.

_What the fuck is going on?! These guys aren't human...so what are they?!_

He felt a hand on his shoulder. Murray craned his neck to see the masked...person? He put his other hand over his mask and it clicked loudly. He pulled it off and revealed a hideous face. It was a dull yellow and had rigded scaly eyebrows. It's eyes were set deep into it's head and were quite small. Two mandibles flailed around in front of it's mouth. It roared and the skin around the mouth parted to reveal pink skin beneath. It's teeth were small but sharp.

Murray screamed as the thing whipped out a knife and drove it into his throat!

*****

FURTHER UP THE TUNNEL

The miners all paused after they heard an explosion deeper underground.

"It's probably that stupid asshole Murray! The retard was probably playing with a lighter and the gases down here reacted and exploded." Jackson said. He adjusted his glasses. He was the mining engineer, he had too much brains to be hacking at rocks with ancient tools. He despised half the people he was supposed to supervise, so he pretty much hated his job too.

"Don't be so hard on Murray. I know he'd probably fail an iq test, but he's still a good guy." That was Timothy, a veteran miner, if you can be a veteran. His long hair was grey and wiry. It clumped together because it was caked in filth.

He was friends with everyone. Even when someone had bashed him and robbed him, he still tried to make idle conversation with his mugger. It was a story the others often told as it always resulted in laughter.

"I know you think highly of everyone Tim, but I need to pick out those with faults, it's part of my job." Jackson stated.

"Oh, so you're job is to be an asshole." Another miner yelled out. This resulted in a wave of laughter which faded quickly.

They heard a scream. Then another, and another.

Jackson turned his torch on and aimed the light down the tunnel. He saw two men running towards him, their uniforms caked in blood. "What the...?" Jackson started.

"MONSTERS!!!FUCKING MONSTERS!!!" The miners screamed.

Jackson tried to ask the question again, but they had already gone. He watched them leave and then turned back to the others.

Timothy yelled and sprinted towards the exit.

Before Jackson could ask, he saw why.

Two black insect like creatures had scambled up the tunnel. One started to gnaw at a miners face while the other had decapitated someone with a razor tipped tail.

Jackson turned and ran with the few others left. A scream came from behind him and he gazed over his shoulder to see another man get slaughtered by the strange animals. Jackson ran full tilt. He could see the surface lights now. He was so close. He was going to make it!

Something gripped his leg and he stared at the bug/thing that drooled over him. It's head arced back and it let go. Jackson looked up to see Timothy brandishing a pick-axe. The tip was melting from where it had penetrated the bony skull of the monster.

Timothy hurled it aside and picked up Jackson. They both fled to the surface.

This wasn't a very long chapter, but they will get longer. Hope you liked it. Please review.


	2. Send 'em In

**Send 'em In.**

WEYLAND YUTANI COMPLEX

LV-742

A team of marines stood near the entrance to the complex. They had received a call from the mining engineer, Jackson, that they were evacuating and to have armed guards on standby.

The team looked at each other and then at the ground. Nothing had happened for a while now and they were considering leaving, but loud screams came in over an intercom.

_#OPEN THE DOOR! LET US IN! WE NEED MEDICS NOW!#_ The voice was recognizable even though he was yelling so loud it crackled on the intercom.

The marines flipped a switch and punched in a code on a small pad. The large, thick reinforced steel doors slowly lifted.

A group of pale, bloodied, and in some cases, mutilated miners stumbled in. They all tripped over themselves and one of them didn't get up.

Jackson grabbed a marine by the collar. "It was a fucking monster! They came out of nowhere, it was like they came out of the walls!"

The marine frowned at the man screaming at him. He raised a hand to quiet him down but he did not stop. "Quiet sir..." Still no effect. "I said be quiet."

Jackson continued to yell.

"I SAID SHUT UP!" The marine bashed the butt of his rifle into the man's head. Jackson crumpled into a heap and fell unconscious. "Get a medic, or maybe a few of them." The marine studied the miners.

Of the five miners, only one was unscathed. One was missing an arm, another had a gushing wound in his chest. One was dead and the last one was missing an ear and covered in deep cuts.

_What the hell happened? This doesn't look like an accident!_

The marine turned to a commrade who had a black goatee. "Maybe we should check out the site. It looks like someone, or something, has attacked them."

The man with a goatee considered the question and then answered in a deep voice with a tinge of a Scottish accent. "I guess so, These old bones haven't done any work for too long!" He was the commander of this squad. He was a veteran, having fought in numerous large-scale conflicts. He was in his late fourties, but commented that he felt much older. Despite that, he was a powerful man.

"Shall I inform the others Mac?" The others referred to him as Mac. His surname was Macintyre, but it was too long for everyone to say so they shortened it.

"Go ahead, I'll contact the higher ups." Mac flipped a thumb and pointed behind him. He left the others to suit up.

In ten minutes, the whole squad had armed themselves with automatic rifles, body armour, and numerous other battle aids. They collected piles of spare ammunition and then divided it amongst themselves.

The door behind them creacked open and Mac returned, along with a man in a white uniform. "This is Bob, he's a medic. We're instructed to take him in case there are survivors at the mine."

Bob smiled and waved.

The squad stared coldly. One of them threw a handgun at him. "We aren't gonna watch your ass so you better know how to use that!" The soldier grinned before rising to his feet.

The others followed suit and they all moved to the 'garage'. It was their name for the miltary hangar, where all vehicles were stored. They piled into an flat, elongated armoured car. As the engine roared into life, it echoed in the expansive hangar. The noise was deafening.

As the hangars doors folded out, the armoured vehicle rolled out onto the rocky surface.

During the ride, the men stared each other down without uttering a sound.

Bob forced himself to cough, just to break the uncomfortable silence. "So, how long have you known each other?" he asked waving a hand at all the marines.

Mac answered. "We have been a squad for about two years, but when you are knee deep in blood and stuck in a trench, it feels longer." He trailed off.

Bob coughed again and gazed out the window.

The vehicle stopped abrubtly and everyone jolted in their seats.

"What the fuck Jerry?" A marine yelled.

The driver, Jerry, Opened his door and drew his rifle. The others followed. They spread out over the area and all they found were mutilated carcasses.

"Jesus! How many miners were there?"

"Around fifty."

They started to count and reached only twenty.

"Well were the hell are the rest?" Jerry asked only to be slapped on the back of the head. His helmet flipped up revealing short blonde hair.

"Inside, obviously! I thought you were smart." Another soldier growled. He had a large scar that passed over his left eye, down his cheek and meeting his mouth. He scratched it, something the docors said was from OCD.

"Stop scratching that friggin' thing Mark!"

The group of fifteen, counting Bob, entered the tunnel. The ground was still slick with blood and they found another corpse.

They flicked on the lights on their rifles and scanned the area.

"Hey look up ahead! The ground changes." Jerry ran down the tunnel. He bent down and felt the shiny metallic surface. He was soon joined by the rest.

"It's wet down here...Something keeps dropping on me! Ew, It's all sticky! And it smells like shit!" A soldier whined. He was met with curses and rude remarks by the rest. He wiped at the sticky, transparent liquid on his shoulder and noticed a flicker of light above him. He looked up to see a fang-filled tongue shoot out into his face.

The other all turned on whatever attacked and watched as the shining black insect leapt onto another marine. Gunshots burst into the creature and it erupted in green blood. It sprayed onto two of the soldiers and they roared in agony as their skin melted away.

"GET THIS SHIT OFF ME!" One of them screamed as he watched his bones start to steam. His arm dropped off and he felt his organs burn. He howled as his body melted away.

"What the fuck just happened?" Jerry screamed. He was spinning the barrel of his rifle madly, scouting the darkness. "Let's turn back!"

"No, we keep going!" Mac replied sternly.

"I'm not moving another step down there! I'll meet you back at the truck." Jerry fled before Mac could stop him.

"Mac, We have four casualties!" stated Jack, he was second in command. He had a thin brown hair and stubble. His blue eyes showed no fear, they never had. He loaded another clip into his gun and then led them further down the tunnel.

The team froze as they stumbled into a cavernous chamber. There were a mass of blackened rubbery sacs. Inside were charred skeletons resembling a mutated scorpion.

A high pitched screech was coming from nearby. Mac aimed his torch in the direction of the noise and let out a loud yelp.

There was a larger version of the monster in the tunnel. It had multiple arms and it's head resembled a black crown.

"Holy SHIT! What is that!" Mark scratched his scar.

The monster turned to him and stared without eyes.

Mark averted his gaze and discovered more corpses. They were stuck to the walls with a strange substance. There were ten bodies, all with their stomachs ripped open. Mark shivered when he realised that the ribs of the victims were jutting out...something had been inside them! He went in for a closer look and studied a body.

The corpse stared blankly, his face twisted into a silent scream. His skin was pale and his eyes were rolled up into his head.

Mark inspected the ragged wound in the chest and felt someone tap his shoulder. He whirled around and stared at one of the creatures. He roared and head-butted the black insect. He reeled from the hardness of the things skull, but the hit had worked.

The monster staggered back and then rushed forward. Mark rolled away and fired into the creatures head. It collapsed and lay still .

The larger one wailed. It seemed like it was mourning the death of it's commrade.

"Watch my back so I can check this out!" Mark spat on the dead creature arousing angered hisses from the larger beast. Mark stared in awe at the immense creature and realised it was missing it's legs and covered in small wounds. "Looks like something tried to kill it already!"

The others agreed.

Bob strolled over to one of the casualties on the walls and cocked his head.

"There are strangulation marks on each victim, also, some organs always end up crushed. It's like something has grown inside them...and burst out!"

"Hey look at this!" Another marine called.

"What is it Chase?" Mac kneeled down to study the strange metal object.

"I think it's a gun of some sort. It has markings from another language written on the sides, they might be controls. Then there is this spear. It fits inside the barrel like this." Chase slid the barbed weapon into the firearm and aimed it at the large alien.

"Can you work out how to fire?" Jack queried.

Chase grinned and pressed three of the buttons along the side. He then shouldered it waited. The gun made no response. Chase cursed and pressed another combination of buttons. He was a weapon and technological expert. He and Jerry made up for the brains lost in most of the others. Three years ago he was asked to work in the labs at the company complex, but he had refused. His excuse was that there were no guns, so they set him up in the Colonial Marines, since they had recently lost half their platoon in a firefight only days before.

After three more combinations, the gun seemed to heat up and the spear shot out so fast it became invisible. The alien howled as the spear embedded itself in it's skull. The acidic blood spilled onto itself, seeping into the open wounds. The bestial shrieks continued for an uncomfortably long time.

"We should get out of here before any more of them get here!" Mac raised a hand and signalled for them to retreat. "Chase, take that weapon with you, I'm sure doctor Kadinsky will have fun with it."

"Yeah! It'll replace his wife!" A burly soldier remarked before laughing hysterically.

"Alright! Come on! Let's get out of here!" Mac pushed them up the tunnel.

An eyeless skull watched curiously as the metal object sped off.

Please Review! Sorry it took so long. Hope you enjoyed it!


	3. Unwelcome Guests

**3. Unwelcome Guests**

WEYLAND YUTANI COMPOUND

Three doctors studied the corpses that were brought back. One was from the wall, the poor miners chest ripped open from the inside. Another was one of the marines, his skin burned away by the acidic blood of the strange creatures in the tunnel.

"This acid is stronger than anything I've ever seen! It has even corroded his bones!" The doctor placed a metal stick on a still sizzling patch of flesh. The acid melted the steel. The doctor dropped the stick and gasped. "Amazing!"

Mac waited with his arms crossed, behind the doctors. "Have you got any idea what the hell these things are?"

"Well, without a sample of the creatures themselves, we are completely in the dark. Your description wasn't very helpful either." The doctor frowned. He picked up a report and read aloud. "An insectiod creature. No apparent visual organs, an elongated head...part of the walls?" The doctor raised an eyebrow.

"If you don't believe me, then go down there!" Mac clenched a fist. Everyone was treating him like he was insane, but they weren't there. They didn't see!

"Calm down sir. I suggest you leave, I'll tell you if we find anything."

Mac sighed and trudged outside the small room where Jack leaned against the wall. He looked up expectantly. "Anything?"

Mac shook his head. "I lose four good men and then they fucking laugh at me! They think I made up the whole thing!"

"But there is clear evidence! What if we gave them a dead...one of those things?"

Mac stared incredulously. "What?!"

"If we have biological proof, then they will have to believe us! They will send reinforcements and we could burn out the whole freakin' nest." Jack punched his other hand and smiled.

"Feel free to go back down, but I'm done! Those things aren't kittens! In It took _one_ of them 30 seconds to take down three soldiers! If there are any more..." Mac trailed off.

*****

OUTSIDE COMPLEX

A thin man leaned against the huge wall of the complex. The building was about four storeys high and that was just above ground. There were three sub-levels as well. The man lit a cigarette and took a long drag. He groaned and coughed several times. Cigarettes were outlawed twenty years ago, but they were re-legalised recently.

Something made a scratching noise in the distance. The man peered out across the flat grey ground. Most of this planet was rocky and mountainous, but there were small patches of rainforest and the occasional flat ground.

_What a shithole! I wish they'd put me in one of the colonies._

"Why did I agree to this?" He asked himself. He took another deep inhale of tobacco and sighed.

The scratching sound came again.

"Hello?" The man took an uneasy step forward.

A loud screech made the man drop his cigarette and scream. Nothing happened afterwards and the man cursed loudly.

"I'm getting scared by nothing!"

The scratches came again.

"What the hell is that?" The man walked around searching for the source of the sound. He followed the noise until he came across a small puddle. It was dark red. The man walked on, a shiver running down his spine.

_It's probably nothing! Don't be scared..._

He stopped once again. A small black shape was snarling at him. With small careful steps he got close enough to see it was a dog. Some of the workers brought pets. Some were a nuisance.

The dog looked bloated and he was panting heavily. There was blood on his stomach, which rose and fell quickly.

"Hey little fella. What happened to you?" The man took another step towards the dog. The black dog whimpered and it's body shook.

"Are you ok?"

The dog barked and yelped in agony. It rolled onto it's back and yelped louder.

"What's wrong?" The man reached out and the dog snapped at him. He drew his hand back and watched.

The dog gagged and a dead bird slid out of it's mouth.

The man laughed out loud. The screech was from the bird. The blood on the dogs stomach would have been from it rolling on the bird. Everything was explained.

_I told you it would be nothing! You stupi-_

The dog yelped again.

"Oh for gods sake, did you eat two?"

A red dot appeared on the dogs face. Another two were placed diagonally below the top dot. They formed a triangle.

The man tilted his head and the dots disappeared. He turned around but nothing was there. "What the fuck is going on tonight?" The man kicked at a rock nearby.

The rock rolled back to him. A thin dull yellow stick was wrapped around a fence. Another few were spread out around the fence. The man blinked, he swore he saw one of them move.

He shrugged his shoulders and turned away. He walked back to the door to the complex and grasped the handle. The reflective glass showed a large figure behind him. He whirled into a huge fist.

"What the hell was that for?!"

A security guard frowned at him. "You've been told about being out this late! I'm sick of warning you!"

"That's no reason to hit me!" The man rubbed at his bruised jaw. He crawled through the door and went to the medic.

The security guard squinted at a blurry shape off in the distance. It looked like a huge spider, but that wasn't surprising as all sorts of strange wildlife inhabited this place.

The spider was incredibly fast. It scuttled up to the guard.

The guard drew his gun. He had arachnophobia and this thing was creepy! He fired twice but the thing didn't slow down. It leapt an impossible distance and landed on the guards face. He tried to pry it off but it's grip was unimaginably strong.

The guard screamed but a tube went down his throat. He gagged and ran blindly for the medic. He was feeling weaker every second. A tail strangled him. He ran into a wall and fell to the ground. The spider made a noise like it was in pain.

The guard felt for the wall and began bashing his face into the hard concrete. The creature screeched and it tightened it's stranglehold. The guard rolled uselessly onto his back.

*****

OUTSIDE COMPLEX

EARLY MORNING

Jess took a big inhale of the air in the kitchen. A coffee maker released it's fresh aroma. Jess sighed and poured a cup for herself. As she stirred in some sugar she looked around. The whole place was deserted at this time. Everyone was still asleep.

Jess took a big gulp and the bitter flavour left a strong aftertaste.

She took a brief walk to the front of the complex to look out the glass doors at the rising sun. She smiled at the yellow, cloudless sky. She decided to get a breath of fresh air and so she opened the heavy door. As she looked around, she saw Greg, the night watchman, unconscious with a spidery creature affixed to his head.

Jess screamed and she hurled the cup of coffee away. She immediately dropped onto her knees. "Greg?! Greg?! Can you hear me?" She checked his pulse and got no response. She got to her feet and dashed inside to get help.

*****

THREE HOURS LATER

INFIRMARY

Mac and Jess sat alongside a hospital bed. Both stared wordlessly at the spidery creature on Greg's face.

A doctor walked in and forced a smile. "Good morning."

"Doesn't look that good so far to me!" Mac snapped.

"I know this is uncomfortable, but we wanted to know if this was one of the animals that you encountered in the mines?"

Jess' eyes widened and she turned to Mac. "Wait! You work in the mines?"

Mac laughed harshly. "No, I'm the leader of the marine corps here. We were investigating a murder down in the mines. We found a deadly form of insect life."

Jess turned to the doctor. "Why the hell didn't I hear about this?!"

"We know you are a biologist but without a sample of these creatures, you have no purpose." The doctor stated coldly.

"Isn't _that_ a sample?" Jess pointed to the arachnid on Greg's face. The doctor nodded.

"Well, because of the situation, we are still in control until Greg is released."

Jess cursed and stomped out of the room. Mac followed but was stopped in the doorway. The doctor looked very concerned.

"Is this related to the animals in the tunnel?"

Mac nodded and left the doctor to tend to the security guard. Mac called out to Jess and she froze in place. As she spun on her heels, her blonde hair swept across her face like a model in a shampoo commercial. She bounded down the hall and eyed the old soldier warily.

"You wanted something?" She asked innocently.

Mac grunted and scratched the nape of his neck. "Oh yeah, um...I never heard your name."

"Jess." Her hand stretched out in greeting. Mac took it and shook. His powerful grip may have hurt her as she winced.

The two stared awkwardly at each other and an uncomfortable silence followed. "So...what do you do? Like for a job?" Mac stammered.

"I work in the biological labs with doctor Kadinsky."

The name sparked interest in the older man. "Did you say Kadinsky? Did you get a strange firearm from one of my men?"

"What, a gun? What does that have to do with organic life?" Jess asked incredulously.

Mac frowned. This made the girl laugh.

"Yes we received it. The doctor has been playing with it all day." The doctor was the nickname for Kadinsky. Jess looked to the floor. "He sort of scares me."

Mac patted her shoulder. "He is a strange guy, but bear with him. I want to hear what you find on that weapon!" He saluted and then left.

*****

INFIRMARY

NIGHT

Greg awoke with a start. His throat was dryer than the sun. Every breath hurt him. His stomach rumbled like a wild beast. With a groan of effort, Greg hauled himself off of the bed. Something was on his foot. He squinted in the darkness and he recognised the dull yellow spider. He yelped and kicked the thing across the room.

Greg pounded on the door but no-one came. The door was locked tight and the windows were barred.

_Great! I'm stuck in here with that...thing! What did it do to me? Am I even alive? Is this a dream?_

More questions flooded his mind but no answers. Deciding there was nothing else to do, Greg got himself comfy in the bed and went to sleep.

*****

COMPANY COMPLEX - INFIRMARY

MORNING

A doctor slid his key card into a small slot near the door. A machine whirred and the door opened. Inside, Greg sat with an impatient expression. The doctor stared amazed.

"Where is the-"

"There! It's dead!" Greg pointed to the lifeless creature.

"Dead? What did you do?"

"Nothing, I just woke up and it was dead on the floor." Greg rasped. He rubbed his throat and asked for water. The doctor called out to a nurse who tip-toed in with a cup of water. Greg downed it in a matter of seconds.

"Any food? I could eat a ton!" Greg cradled his stomach.

"We will get you something right away!" The doctor whispered to the nurse and she ran off. After a minute she returned with a plate of sausages, eggs, toast and a cup of coffee. Greg didn't bother with a knife and fork, instead using his hands. He ate without chewing, swallowing whole pieces of food whole.

The doctor and nurse stared on in amazement.

As soon as Greg had finished, he clutched at his stomach and groaned.

The doctor chuckled to himself. "If you eat like that you will definitely get stomach pains! You need to slow down."

Greg shook his head. "No! It isn't that! It's like...AAAGGGHH!!!!" Greg fell to the floor and howled in agony. He began to have a seizure and the doctor and nurse restrained him. The fit became increasingly more aggressive, Greg's limbs flailed about in a frenzy. Foam appeared at the corners of his mouth and a bloody patch splattered onto his shirt.

"What the...?" The doctor's eyes widened and his hand trembled. He had never experienced anything like this and his nerves were taking over.

Greg screamed a hideous noise. His voice cracked and reached a terribly high note. His body stiffened and his stomach erupted in a shower of blood. The doctors usually white coat was instantly stained in crimson. The doctor screamed as a head poked out of the ragged hole in Greg's chest. His ribs were bent outward so the head could manoeuvre out.

The eyeless head shrieked like a crying baby. It slid out and more of it's body was revealed. It had a worm-like body that was coiled inside Greg's chest cavity. The worm opened it's tiny jaws and silver teeth reflected the lights. The creature sprang out of Greg and landed on the doctor. It's small fangs burrowed into the doctors neck.

The doctor wailed and fell back against the wall. His eyes darted around looking for a weapon but his gaze met the non-existent stare of the serpent. It's head was caked in skin and organs. It tilted it's head as if confused and then slid closer. It was so close, the doctor could touch it with his nose. The serpent opened it's jaws wide and it's mouth hovered in front of the doctors forehead. A secondary mouth shot out like a bullet and dug into the mans head.

The nurse ran for the door but the serpentine creature had already coiled around her leg. It bit into her calf and severed her Achilles tendon. As she fell, her head collided with the corner of an operating table. Fortunately, she was unconscious when the worm slithered up to her neck and started to feed.

*****

BIO LABS

Mac and his team sat on cheap, uncomfortable chairs. They were waiting for a report from Kadinsky. Jerry rolled his thumbs over each other endlessly. Mark scratched at his scar. Jack asked Chase about the strange weapon. Mac struggled to stop thinking about that girl he met this morning, Jess.

He found it odd that he would be thinking like this about a girl at least ten years younger than him. He tried to think about other things but sure enough, each time, her face would pop up in his mind.

_She may be half my age but...but...What am I thinking?! _

Mac considered that question for another ten minutes before the thick, reinforced doors opened with a creak. Jess bounded out with a white lab coat. She smiled when she saw Mac. This made some of the marines call out dirty jokes. Mac silenced them with just a glare. His men feared and respected him making it so much easier to bring them into line.

Mac signalled for Jack and Chase to follow him into the lab, the others waited longer.

Jess led the troops down a long corridor. The walls were littered with notes and experiments. Pictures of dissections and discoveries added some colour to the white walls. Just when the corridor seemed like it would never end, it veered off to the left. Doors lined each side of the corridor. Most were empty but the occasional few contained animals like primates.

A thick steel door stopped them from going any further. Jess slotted a key card into a small pad and then punched in an access code before swiping the card again.

"Quite a lot of security for just a few animal experiments." Chase observed.

"Yeah, I have no idea why, it was just made this way." Jess pulled a lever and pressed several buttons. The door opened silently, which was surprising taking into account the size and weight of the reinforced steel. A layer of concrete was crammed between the two layers of metal.

"This is even higher security than at area 51!" Jack commented.

Inside the expansive lab, a man in a green coat leaned over a table. He froze and then whirled around. "Ah, welcome captain Macintyre! I trust you are well?"

Mac forced a smile. "So, Mr Kadinsky, have you found anything useful about that weapon?"

Kadinsky made a strange noise and picked up the weapon from the table. "It is a marvellous mechanism! Based on what Chase has told me, I have worked out a few of the symbols!" He went on about the symbols but his voice sped up so that his words were indecipherable. Mac and Chase shrugged their shoulders and looked to Jess.

She smiled and mouthed the word "Crazy."

Kadinsky finished his explanation and wandered over to another table. He called out to another scientist and he strolled over, his body hunched over. "This is dr Hirsch. I want you to take him out to where you found the...object."

"Are you joking?! That place could be crawling with those monsters! We aren't going back!" Mac roared furiously.

"Well, then give directions to Jess here and she can go instead." Kadinsky waved a hand to her.

"I will not allow her to go down there!" Mac snapped.

"That is not for you to decide Mr Macintyre! Now take them or tell them!"

Mac scowled and bowed his head. "Fine, I'll take them."

Sorry for the wait, I have been busy with other stuff. This chapter was much longer than the others, I'll try and keep chapters nice and long. I hope you have enjoyed the story so far, make sure you review! 


	4. Nest

**4. Nest**

A group of solemn figures gathered in the garage. Only one person appeared to be slightly excited, Dr Hirsch. His wrinkled face creased up into a small smile. Every other face contained a frown, a scowl or trembling lips.

No-one wanted to return to the nest. They used the term after they found all the burned out eggs.

"I'm sorry you got dragged into this." Jess apologised.

Mac frowned at her. "I'm sorry you have to go down there. You may never come back." His expression was dead serious. Jess grabbed Macs shoulder and squeezed tight.

"Will you protect me?" Her eyes showed her intense fear.

Mac smiled warmly and placed a hand on hers. "I promise."

The two looked into each others eyes and the bored soldiers cheered.

"You snagged a hottie captain!"

"Make sure she isn't your daughter before you screw her!" The whole group laughed except the two being laughed at. Mac turned to Jess.

"They have dirty minds. Just ignore them." Jess nodded and looked at a drop ship.

"Are we going in that?"

Mac grinned. "Ah, _the bomber._ I've used that ship for ten years, she's survived a decade of being shot at, been lit on fire, everything."

Jess gazed at the battered ship. "Wow."

They filed into the bulky green mass of armour and sat in the small seats provided. Each seat was in close proximity to the others so the area was cramped. Jess felt unease when a thick, bulky soldier placed himself next to her. Mac sat on the other side and she tried to get closer to him.

The other soldier pretended to cry. "She doesn't like me! I feel so rejected."

"So, that's nothing new for you!" Laughed another marine. His skin was a very dark brown.

Jess laughed as well, but her neighbour glared at her. She immediately stopped herself. She used her peripheral vision to look at the increasingly scary man who sat next to her. His arms were heavily tattooed. He was bald but there was stubble on his chin. His jaw stuck out as if his lower skull was bigger than the top. She noticed a tattoo with a name which she assumed was the soldiers own.

"Derek." Jess read aloud.

"Oh my god! She knows my name! How the hell did she-"

"It's fucking tattooed on your arm!" The dark skinned marine growled.

"Calm down Phil! Geez!" Derek looked away.

The ride was filled with insults and dirty jokes. Jess began to get used to it. She was also less afraid of some of the troops. She learned a few names and even introduced herself to them. Dr Hirsch remained silent the whole time.

The ship jolted and started to descend. As the ship touched the ground, the drop ship bounced, throwing the passengers around. Derek's shoulder slammed into Jess and almost knocked her out.

The marines crowded around a cabinet filled with deadly weaponry. Large rifles, smart guns, shotguns, oversized pistols. Jess spied a lightweight pistol. Mac realised what she was looking at and threw the gun to her. Jess caught it awkwardly and almost dropped it.

"That thing may have a strong recoil, so don't hold it in front of your face." Mac warned. He then hefted a large green rifle, standard issue for all colonial marines. They were sometimes referred to as pulse rifles, Jess remembered, though she had no idea why.

"You ever been shot?" Asked Mark. Jess shook her head and stared at the long scar that ran from his forehead to his chin. Mark chuckled and lifted his shirt. Eight white marks adorned his chest. "Some psycho almost emptied a clip into me! I took him down with my bare hands!" He dragged his thumb across his throat.

Jess nodded slowly and studied her gun. Mac assisted her in loading a clip and then he marched to the front of the group.

The heavy ramp lowered and the small army lined up outside the tunnel. Fear ran through everyone present. The pilot, Jerry, was shivering. He raised his hand and Mac looked to him.

"I'll stay with the ship and make sure it's ready for a quick retreat."

Mac nodded and turned away from him. "Anyone else who can't go back down?"

The line of troops stared each other down. None took up the offer of staying behind, that was not who they were. They were bred as soldiers. The front line was their home. Each man set their gazes on the entrance to the nest. To some, it could be their grave.

Almost in unison, the group loaded their rifles. Then they began the trek down the tunnel. Some of the miners corpses remained. Their flesh had rotted away and white bone poked out. Jess whimpered and Mac went to her side. She felt safe around this man. The others could protect her as well, but she only really felt safe with Mac.

The light disappeared and the marines switched on their flashlights. Weak light illuminated the black shiny walls. The strange substance was cold. The air became crisp and frozen. Even through the layers of body armour some of the soldiers shuddered.

The march was uneventful. They reached their destination unharmed. The cavernous area was deserted. The giant corpse of the 'mother' leaned against the black rock. The troops referred to it as the mother because of the egg sac behind it.

Jess looked from a distance. Her body trembled from fear, even in death, the creatures had a terrifying presence. Mac noticed her discomfort and sat her down against the cave wall.

"Are you ok?"

Jess shook her head. "That thing! It's huge! You said they were your size!"

"We think that is the-"

"Mother. That sac behind her would transport eggs. If this was anything like a common ant hive, she would be the queen."

"Queen huh?" Mac grasped his chin. "There isn't a king is there?"

"No. She would run the colony...um...Are you sure they are all dead?"

"Besides that thing on Greg, definitely." Mac looked around and found Dr Hirsch poking around through the burned out eggs. "Do you want to go back? I can leave the others with Hirsch."

"Alright. If it isn't a problem with your men." Jess looked around, worried.

"They will do what I say whether they like it or not!" Mac smirked. He turned to the others and yelled. "I'm taking Jess back to the ship. I want you to stay here and supervise Hirsch until I return."

The marines groaned and cursed.

Mac led Jess back up the tunnel.

*****

COMPANY COMPLEX

Bob washed his hands at a small sink. He studied his bald head in the mirror and sighed. He retreated to the cafeteria where a few other scientists and doctors chatted quietly. There was no sign of Jess. He enjoyed talking to her, she was one of a minority here who he could actually talk to.

The grating above him screeched, like a knife dragged across metal. The noise was awful. Bob covered his ears and walked away. He decided he would eat later, right now he would check up on Greg. His predicament seemed to be involved with the mining incident.

The door was locked. Bob produced his key-card and ran it across the slot in the wall. The door cleared away to reveal a scene from a nightmare.

Greg sat against the wall, his chest ripped apart, his ribs poking out. His internal organs spilled out at his feet. A doctor lay face down on the sticky floor. Blood coated every surface like a sickening paint job. A human eye was placed next to the doctors face. Whatever happened to him wasn't pretty. A female nurse had her eyes closed, like she was asleep. Her throat was torn apart, her windpipe jutting out of the ragged wound. Tooth marks adorned the rough hole.

Bob managed to keep his stomach contents down but he failed to remain standing. "Oh god! Oh God! Shit! Somebody!! HELP!!" Bob scrambled to his feet and returned to the cafeteria.

The grating had fallen on two doctors. Everyone else was gone.

"ANYBODY!! HELP!!" Bob heard running footsteps from down the opposite hall.

_Thank goodness!_

A tall black figure bounded into the cafeteria. It's elongated head stuck up and a non-existent nose sniffed the air.

_OH SHIT!! HOW DID IT GET IN HERE!!! RUN!!_

Bob picked up a tray and hurled it towards the crushed doctors. He then slid behind the corner. The alien padded over to the corpses and gave them the eyeless stare.

Bob retreated to the front of the complex, he then turned down a long corridor. A thick door labelled garage stood in his way. He kicked the door open and sprinted to the weapons stockroom. He picked out two pistols. He had only used a gun once and it had been a pistol. Bob holstered the firearms and then hid behind an armoured car.

_Come get me! I'm waiting for ya, you ugly son of a bitch!_

*****

DROPSHIP

Jerry peered out of the window at the expansive wasteland before him. The jungles were to the East, in the opposite direction. The West was just bleak desert and caves. Two figures walked out of the tunnel and headed towards the ship. It was Mac and the female scientist.

They scrambled up the ramp and sat across from Jerry.

"What's the problem?" Jerry asked.

"Jess was just scared is all." Mac answered. He almost appeared to be a protective father over her.

"The Queen was just...creepy!" Jess added.

Jerry cocked his head in confusion.

"There is a huge one that lays eggs. We call it the queen...you know...like a queen in an ant hive." Mac explained.

A loud beep interrupted the conversation. The trio crowded around a radar screen. The rest of the group were dragging something big towards the ship. Behind them was an army of dots.

"There must be another nest! We need to get them out of there!" Jess began to panic.

Jerry held down a button over a small microphone. "Guys, you have to evacuate now!" His voice cracked as he spoke.

_#Hey this thing is heavy! You try running with it!# Snapped one of the marines over their own radio._

_#This is Jack. What's going on?# _

Mac approached the radio. "Jack, there is another nest or something! There is about fifty of those things and they are approaching fast!"

Jess gasped and turned to Mac. "The Queen is following! She is leading them!"

"Oh shit! Jack, get the fuck out of there! RUN!! Drop whatever you are carrying and run!" Mac commanded.

_# We are just a few steps from the entrance. We can still bring it with us# Jack told them._

The group came into view. They were dragging the dead Queen. The trio inside almost fainted. Jerry lowered the ramp and stared at the radar. The new Queen was just behind them. His fears were confirmed when Derek's voice came through on the radio.

_#AAAAAHHHHH!!! It's right behind us!!! They're covering the fuckin' walls! The bastards are everywhere! TAKE THIS!!# Gunfire crackled and the muzzle flashes were visible from the window. Footsteps knocked on the ramp and the trio turned expectantly. Nothing was there. Just as Mac was about to check it out, Mark dived into the room. He had a deep gash in his chest. _

Phil then ran in. His arm was bleeding profusely. Next was Chase, then Jack, Hirsch and then three other marines.

Derek and another soldier unleashed twin streams of bullets into the advancing army. The Queen was nowhere to be seen. Derek dropped his rifle and hurled a grenade into the pack of insects. The other marine pulled out a combat shotgun. Derek unholstered a pistol and fried blindly.

"Get onto the ship! We can't wait much longer!" Roared Mac.

The order fell on deaf ears as Derek and his comrade continued to stand frozen in front of the ramp.

Mac frowned and lowered his head. "Let's go..."

Jerry cocked his head. "Huh?"

"Let's go!" Mac yelled.

"But De-"

"NOW!!" Mac grabbed Jerry by the collar and threw him towards the controls. Jerry pressed a series of buttons and the ship came to life.

Outside, Derek turned to see the ship begin to hover above the ground. "HEY!! WAIT!! YOU FORGOT ABOUT ME!! COME BACK!! HEY!! GET BACK HE-"

Those onboard winced as they saw Derek's head get torn from his shoulders. The creatures drank from his neck and began to disembowel him. The other marine roared a fierce battle cry, though it was in vain. A second later, the black swarm descended on him.

Jess placed a hand on Mac's shoulder. "I'm so sorry." Mac smiled weakly at her.

"It's not your fault. I swear! I'll kill every last one of those monsters! I'll make them extinct!" Mac formed a fist and glared down at the mass of evil creatures. "At least we can be safe from those things at the complex."

*****

COMPANY COMPLEX

Bob waited silently. The door in front of him was his only barrier between him and the insect. The light from under the door vanished and a shadow crept under, creeping ever closer towards Bob. Bob flinched as a claw scraped along the steel. The creature outside clicked it's claws against the door. It's loud hisses turned Bob's blood to stone.

The light returned and Bob sighed.

_It's gone!_

Suddenly the door buckled under the immense strength of a head on charge from the alien. The alien ran into the door again. A hinge came loose and clattered to the floor.

Bob's bravado from before dissipated as fear took over. Bob raised his two pistols to the gap in the door where a black, skeletal hand played with the broken barrier. The creature crawled half through the gap. It's lower body got stuck in the gap. It thrashed around furiously and the door collapsed. The alien sniffed the air, it knew prey was near.

Bob noticed a smart gun to his left. The huge weapon was like a miniature tank turret. The weapon had a mechanical arm that gripped the body and allowed fluid movement with the long barrel. Only experienced and powerful marines could use such a deadly firearm. Bob turned his attention back to the creature hunting him down like a cat chasing a mouse.

Unfortunately, there was no mouse hole in sight. The alien peered over the armoured car and stared right at Bob. Bob stared back, his body wouldn't allow any other movement. The alien opened it's jaws and the secondary mouth stretched forward. It snickered and then drooled.

Bob pointed his pistols at the sinister looking face and fired. His finger stayed down on the trigger, unleashing a torrent of bullets. The thick exoskeleton forced some of the bullets to bounce off uselessly, but luckily, the pressure was slowly cracking the skull open. The alien screeched and leapt across the huge room. Bob whirled around and tried to follow with his eyes but the alien was incredibly fast.

Bob frenziedly craned his neck around in different directions, desperately searching for his opponent.

The quiet sizzle of metal being corroded alerted Bob of the horrible creature. It was waiting behind another car, it's body tense and ready to pounce. It's legs stretched and it lunged for Bob. Bob rolled away and fired madly. The muzzle flashes were blinding, but the dull green blood was easily distinguishable. The alien screamed again and this time it charged head on.

Bob panicked and sprinted in the opposite direction. He noticed a metal pipe poking out from a pile of scrap metal. He ran full tilt towards the pipe and once he reached it he jumped up and held onto the pipe. The hungry beast leapt into the air. Just as the dripping jaws came within two metres of him, Bob dropped and dived. The alien landed face first on the pipe at high speed. The creature's face became impaled on the pipe and it's body immediately went limp.

Bob gasped and tried to regain his breath. He was drowning in his own sweat. With the last of his energy, he ran towards the bio labs.

Again, I'm sorry it's taking so long, but I've been quite busy with other stuff. 

In case you were wondering, yes, the Predator's will begin their reign of terror very soon. Also, The missing Queen will show her hideous face, the company will find out about the aliens and all hell breaks loose!

All in the next chapter! I'll try and write faster, but i am feeling a bit demoralised with no reviews. So take a small amount of time and write a quick review! Seriously though...REVIEW!!!!!


	5. New Threats

**5. New Threats**

JUNGLE REGION

A ship full of soldiers headed towards an emergency beacon. Another ship had crashed in the middle of the jungle. The rescue team was a lower ranking group of marines. Mac's platoon was the best of the best, then bravo squad and under them were the ones trapped out in the mass of trees.

Bravo squad consisted of twelve men and two women. One of them was Shirley. She was an expert with long-range weaponry and she always carried a sniper rifle. She was also second in command, under Briggs.

Briggs was a middle aged man with short brown hair and a thin beard. His thick arms were proof enough of his strength.

The other female in the squad was Vanessa. Her lifestyle was once called "Goth" in the ancient times, but now it was a nameless style that had almost died out. Her straight black hair fell across half her face and streaks of red brought a bit of colour to her all black attire. She was quiet, yet most people had a quiet fear of her. There was a threatening essence to her, despite the fragile appearance. Her body armour was specially made for her so that it was black, with a skull on the back of the vest.

As the ship hovered above the trees, Vanessa applied her pale make-up. Another soldier laughed at her and she gave him a vicious glare.

The soldier immediately turned away and moved. The soldier moved to a window and looked out. He pointed at something but before he could speak, a blast of blue energy crashed through the glass , incinerating the helpless man. The blast connected with the controls and the ship pitched forward and fell into the expansive jungle.

The terrified passengers screamed as their ship plunged through the tree's. Several men were hurled outside as the ship slammed into the ground. The vessel crumbled in on itself and flames erupted from the wreckage.

Vanessa crawled out, somehow unharmed. Shirley rolled out of the debris and limped towards her comrade. "Anyone? Can anyone hear me? Yell if you are alive!" Shirley called out.

A few pained groans responded. Briggs fell from a tree branch and winced as his leg hit a rock. Five more dragged themselves from the burning cage of steel. All turned their heads, looking for the unseen attacker.

"What the hell happened?!" Bill asked. His green eyes showed fear. He turned to Shirley, who shrieked. Bills forehead was just cut by nothing. The incision continued to go down his face. He frowned and was about to scream when the invisible blade slit his throat. The cut got deeper until the head detached from the shoulders.

An inhuman groan erupted from an invisible assailant. Bills head was pulled free as well as his spine and the unseen killer roared in triumph.

The others screamed and ran. One stayed behind, choosing to shoot at everything in sight until he avenged Bill. He cursed loudly, but his rifle drowned out the sound. Bill's body fell and blood spurted out from his neck.

The other marine continued to fire endlessly, until his arms fell off. Electricity crackled in front of him and the attacker revealed itself. It stood above any normal human. It's skin was a pale yellow, riddled with black spots. It wore a black mesh on it's exposed body. Bronze armour adorned it's torso and shins. Strange mechanisms were attached to it's wrists. One had two raised holes, the other looked like a keypad with strange symbols.

The marine backed away.

The creature tilted it's masked head, black dreadlocks flopped around it's shoulders. The creature raised the arm with the holed mechanism. Two long blades slid out and locked into place. The curved, barbed blades were almost two feet long. In one quick movement, the creature stabbed straight through the soldiers stomach, appearing out the other side with his heart in the monsters vice-like grip.

The others were now far away from the beast. They all stopped in unison when they noticed blood dripping down in front of them. They looked up to see the majority of the other squad hung upside down, skinned. As the small group moved away, they found more skulls, some human, others from some large animal.

"What the fuck is this?!" Briggs fought the urge to vomit. A triangle of red dots formed on his shoulder and Vanessa stared at it.

"Um...Briggs?"

"Not now Vanessa! So, how do we get out of here? The rescue mission has failed, now we must get out of here so we can help!" The triangle moved to the back of his head.

Vanessa raised her hand and the dots formed on her hand.

_A sniper!!_

"Bri-"

Briggs was thrown forward and a fountain of blood sprayed onto Vanessa. Briggs head was torn apart and the debris spilled out onto the forest floor.

The ever diminishing group screamed and took cover behind a large rock. "What is happening?!" Vanessa sobbed.

Two of the others stood up and fired into the trees. Something squealed and fell. The group approached the near-dead attacker. It was unusually tall and had an armoured mask over it's face. One of the marines shot it until the quivering stopped and then stooped down. He removed the mask and gasped. The face resembled nothing on earth. Small, deep-set eyes stared blankly. The mandibles around the mouth ended in small claws. Inside the mouth were small sharp teeth.

Next to the beast was it's discarded weapon, a long, dull firearm with a spear lodged in the barrel.

"That's one fucking ugly son of a bitch!" Murmured Adam. He backed away and sighed. "Right! We're trapped in the forest. We've got no ship, food, map...nothing! There are a band of weird creatures that are fucking preying on us! We also only have limited ammunition..."

"We will make it out of here! I swear it!" Shirley clenched her fists. She turned to Vanessa and smiled. The smile brought some happiness to the terrified soldiers. Vanessa smiled back. Her eyes widened as another one of the creatures watched them from a few metres away.

"Over there!!" She pointed and Adam and his two companions all released a burst from their rifles. The predator was thrown back into a tree trunk where it slumped down and fell.

"Close! I owe you one Vampire!" Adam gave Vanessa a thumbs up and then started walking off. "I suggest we move. This looks like their camp! More are likely to arrive so we should leave now!"

The others agreed and the team of five trekked deeper into the forest.

*****

GARAGE

Mac watched as his men hung their weapons on the wall. Mark looked around in confusion and then approached Mac.

"Someone has taken two pistols! And it looks like they trashed the place as well. Thing's are knocked over and it looks like they melted some stuff with a blowtorch or something!"

Mac studied the damage and noticed a smoking hole in the concrete floor. He strolled over and got a closer look. At close range, he could see the speck of green blood, the same fluid that came from the aliens! Mac rose and turned to his troops. "We have an alien inside the compound! Take your weapons and keep an eye out! It's injured, I'm not sure if it's dead or if it is alone either."

The group armed themselves and headed off down the corridor to the cafeteria. Once there, they found the remains of several scientists.

Mac's eyes widened and he sprinted off. The others simply watched him go. They knew not to disturb their commander.

Mac followed a trail of acid burns in the floor and almost ran into Jess. She was sitting beside the door to the bio-labs. She looked up at him, her eyes watery and her expression showing deep concern.

"Oh, it's you. I can't get in! Kadinsky has locked himself inside and he wont let anyone in! I think he has a...specimen." Jess pointed to the dark marks on the floor.

"Are you sure he is alive? It might have caught him by surprise and somehow managed to lock itself in." Mac suggested.

Jess shook her head. "No, he used a com speaker to notify me that I couldn't enter the lab for a month because he was doing very important research." Jess frowned. "He is becoming obsessive with these discoveries recently. I think he is going insane."

"How long has he been in there?" Mac asked, concern etched onto his face.

"He has hasn't gone out of the lab for a week now, just playing with those dead creatures and that gun." Jess stood up and walked away. Mac considered the situation and decided to follow.

*****

JUNGLE

Vanessa, Shirley and Adam took a break while the other two stood guard. The wind picked up and made the branches of all the trees sway. All leaves rustled.

A scream erupted from one of the guards and he disappeared. The other marine ran to his aid and another Predator took him down with a heavy thrust with a spear.

Adam fired at the two Predators. One sprinted off into the distance, the other was hit by a stream of bullets. It failed to kill the beast, but it was badly wounded. The Predator grasped it's wounded shoulder and followed after it's companion, leaving a trail of it's bright green blood.

"They're fucking everywhere! What do we do?!" Shirley asked. Her voice faltered and the others stared in shock. Shirley was never one to show her fear so this sudden display made the others feel worse.

"The complex is somewhere in that direction isn't it?" Vanessa asked indicating where with a finger.

"I guess so. But that's so far. We could go to the abandoned mines, they are just straight ahead, if we run we could get there in a day or two." Shirley suggested. The others groaned.

"Look, we have no choice! It's fight or flight and personally, I think we'd get our asses kicked by those things!" Shirley hefted her sniper over her shoulder and marched on. The others shrugged their shoulders and followed.

*****

TWO DAYS LATER

COMPANY COMPLEX

Mac cursed as his team came back from a mission. They were sent out to patrol the area in case the aliens came back. Fortunately, none had. But still, Mac knew it was just a ruse to keep them away from the complex.

Kadinsky was still locked in his laboratory and now apparently had placed a lockdown on the corridors leading to it. Mac assumed it was because of the cells lining the walls. Whatever he had done, it was dangerous!

The drop ship landed softly, but still the ship jolted.

Jess was flung from her seat and just before her face hit the metal floor, Mac caught her.

The other marines laughed and hurled an onslaught of jokes, but Mac took them all without a care.

As they trudged through the front entrance, they found guards blocking the majority of the complex. They were only granted access to the mess hall and the garage.

Mac yelled at a guard and tried to get through, but the guard shook his head and stood his ground.

"I'll kill you if I have to!" Mac growled. "I am going to find out what that psycho has been doing for all this time! If you want to stop me...just try it!"

The guard stepped forward and raised a hand, drawing it back. Mac side-stepped and snapped the mans arm back. It snapped with a sickening 'crack.' He fell and screamed out in pain. Mac stepped over him and walked into the corridor. The doors had scratches on them and there were a few dry patches of blood. Mac approached the first door and peered through the small window set into it. The cell was empty.

Mac sighed and turned away. At that point something slammed against the door behind him. He felt his hairs stand on edge. He slowly craned his neck and one of the aliens glared at him from behind the glass, but there was something different...It's exoskeleton was a dull yellow instead of black.

"What the..." Mac stared in disgust.

"Beautiful isn't it?"

Mac whirled around.

Kadinsky was slowly pacing up the corridor, gently stroking the cell doors as he went along.

"What is that?! Why is it yellow?!" Mac stabbed his finger at the hissing creature only a few feet from his face.

"I call it the K strain." Kadinsky grinned and his wrinkles consumed his face.

"K strain?"

"Yes. I created a clone of the dead xenomorph found inside the complex, but also injected yellow paint into the DNA. The result was a yellow xenomorph! It's marvellous isn't it?"

"Marvellous?! You created another one of these fucking monsters!!! What could possibly be good about that?!" Mac realised his mistake after the words left his mouth.

"Just think...If we could breed and tame these creatures, we could use them as the greatest weapon the world has ever known!!" Kadinsky's face lit up and his grin spread.

"Biological warfare?! Are you fucking insane!!!" Mac again realised the answer after it was uttered. "Well, I have come to put a stop to this! I won't let you breed an army of these monsters!!" Mac clenched a fist and scowled.

Kadinsky's laughter echoed throughout the hall. It was a sickening noise, but it wasn't the worst. His laughter roused a chorus of howls, screeches and hisses. "It's too late to stop me Mr Macintyre!"

"No..."

The K strain xenomorphs sung their grotesque symphony as Kadinsky produced a small remote.

"What are you doing? What is that for?" Mac took a step towards the insane doctor.

"Rise my children!! Feed on the human cattle!! Destroy all who resist!!" Kadinsky pushed the large red button and the cells all made a clicking noise in unison.

"Oh...SHIT!!!" Mac dived back into the main entrance and slammed the door shut behind him, just as a series of heavy thuds battered the door.

*****

ABANDONED MINES

The weary, exhausted trio sat down against the wall of the cave. They all sighed and looked at each other. Sweat drenched their skin and their muscles ached.

"Well, at least that's over!" Adam muttered.

"Can you hear something?" Vanessa asked. A loud rumbling was coming from further down the tunnel. "I thought these mines were abandoned."

"Well that's what I heard!" Shirley snapped.

"It's coming closer!!" Adam shouldered his rifle and the others did the same.

A sea of claws and fangs lunged forwards. The trio screamed and fired into the mass of black. Green blood splashed out over the others, but it had no effect on them. However, the blood burnt the rocks that it spilled onto.

"They're almost on us!!" Shirley shrieked while blindly shooting into the impending darkness.

"I don't want to die!!" Wailed Vanessa. An alien pounced ahead of he pack. It soared through the air, straight for her!!

*****

COMPANY COMPLEX

Mac's troops stared questioningly. Jess trembled.

"We have to get out of here!!! Now!!" Mac roared.

"Why?"

"Kadinsky has cloned a whole freaking army of those aliens!! He's going to kill us all!!"

Everyone made a dash for the front door and looked outside. The horizon was black. A wave of black aliens surged forwards.

The K strain army hissed at it's brethren, but not happily because of their reunion with their own kind...more as a threat...a challenge.

Whichever way it was...there was no doubt in the minds of each Marine. War was coming!!

A xenomorph war? How will Mac, Jess and the marines survive? And what is the fate of the last of Bravo squad? Also, will the Predators appear again?

All in the next chapter! Sorry about the long waits for the chapters, but I will try and update faster now.

Please review. It is difficult to write without suppport.


	6. Hive vs Hive

**6. Hive vs. Hive (Black and Gold) **

I know you are reading this! There aren't a huge number of you but you are reading! Please write a review. I need to know if you are enjoying this or not. I can only improve if I know what the problem is. So read and review!

An inhuman battle cry stretched across the whole region. A black horde made it's way to the complex and the K strain hissed angrily from behind the thick steel door.

"We are fucked!" Mark murmured, scratching his scar.

"I have an idea! If we go to the garage, we can use a drop ship to get out of here!" Jack said excitedly.

Everyone nodded and they ran for the garage...and hopefully, escape!

MAC'S SHIP

The cargo area at the back of the ship rumbled. Something was inside, and it was heavy. The steel whined as something attempted to cut through it. The thin wall gave way and a huge black, skeletal arm struck through. It tore at the wall some more and then shoved it's immense, crested head through the hole. The queen roared at it's children.

She too, could sense the foul stench of the invasive species. They were an inferior version of her own. It was an insult! And it must be destroyed. The feast on the bipedal cattle would have to be put aside for now.

There was also the issue of the predators. They had attacked a neighbouring hive and wiped it out completely. Surely they would come for her and her children too! She must fight! She must get back to her followers! It was time for war!

Her multiple arms broke the wall so that she could fit through. Her tail flickered behind her. Excitement coursed through her veins. She had done nothing in her time nesting, now it was time for her to fight among her young, the activity which brought her the most joy.

Something whirred to her left. Her massive head turned and she sniffed the air. A group of bipeds watched her with fearful eyes. They were a cowardly breed, only fit for a delicious meal or as hosts for implantation.

They made a loud squealing noise and retreated as quickly as they had come.

Her stomach growled. Before she could fight, she had to feed...

* * *

"What was the queen doing on our ship? What do we do now?" Jerry asked frenziedly, his eyes darting back and forth.

"The lower levels!" Mac stated. "We can hide underground until they have torn each other apart."

Jess produced an access card and swiped it into the wall. The wall split and a lift was revealed. All eyes fell on her and the secret elevator.

"I know a few secrets about this place." She giggled and ran inside. The others followed and silently listened to the hum of machinery as they descended deeper into the complex.

* * *

Two scientists rose from the floor, tugging their clothes back on. The girl appeared frightened. She looked around anxiously until the man wrapped a protective arm around her.

"You're worrying over nothing honey." He kissed her gently on the neck and she smiled.

A loud bang came from the roof.

"What was that?" She asked.

The roof dented downwards and it creaked as something moved inside the ceiling.

"I'm scared!" She ran to the arms of her lover and they slowly backed away. They bumped into something behind them and the man spun around into a black monstrosity.

It was just taller than him and resembled some kind of insect. It's jaws widened to reveal sharp fangs.

"What the..." The creature stepped back and lowered it's head, as if it were a knight bowing to his queen.

The man felt cold hands against his cheeks. The girl screamed as her lover was lifted from the ground by an immense creature which had to crouch to fit into the room. The man roared in agony as his head was crushed. The hands closed and his head imploded in a shower of gore.

The girl was bathed in her partners blood and the scream died in her throat. She ran from the room and slammed right into the wall outside. She rolled into a crouch and immediately ran off again.

The terrible creatures hissed and shrieked from the other room.

Her feet clicked on the floor and she could hear the sinister calls from more of the creatures. They were everywhere! She made her way to the bio labs. Two guards sat facing away from her beside the door.

"Help me! I was attacked by an..." She froze at the sight of the large red puddle beneath them and the slow dripping from the roof. Her eyes raised up to see one of the aliens feasting on someone's internal organs.

Bile rose in her throat but she managed to force it down.

She changed direction and ran off towards another section of the complex. She stopped by a thick steel door which had fallen down. She peered inside at the walls lined with open cells. Scratch marks littered the floor and walls.

She spun on her heels and felt a heavy whip slash her in the stomach. Her gaze set on the alien before her. It was gold. The golden tail ended in a red barb. It was red because it had cut deep into the girl.

It hurt to breathe now and her mind blacked out constantly. Her last sight was of an inner set of jaws shooting out of the aliens mouth and hitting her between the eyes.

* * *

A pack of K strains had cornered a smaller group of true aliens. Black and gold claws flashed through the air and teeth clamped down on hard crusty flesh.

The battle was aggressive and violent. A K strain collapsed when a rivals tail impaled it. Another died as it's opponent clawed at it's throat, tearing out it's windpipe.

Green acid splashed onto the walls, corroding them. The floor buckled and the whole room fell apart. All either fell to their death or were crushed by the falling debris.

One K strain survived and climbed back up into the top level of the complex.

* * *

OUTSIDE THE COMPOUND

Vanessa, Shirley and Adam ducked behind a large boulder and watched as the predators ran towards the compound. Each was armed with different weapons and their armour varied from thin plates to thick slabs.

"What do we do? If they destroy the ships, we're trapped here!" Vanessa wiped away the hair matted to her forehead by sweat. Her makeup was beginning to run and her true skin colour appeared in tiny patches.

"We're exhausted! We need to rest or we'll die!" Shirley unstrapped her large sniper rifle and laid it beside her.

"Well, We can please everyone. We get to a drop ship before they are all destroyed, then we can sleep until we are rescued. Ok?" Adam looked expectantly to the two women beside him. Vanessa stirred to her feet but Shirley remained on the ground.

"I'll stay here. You can pick me up if you make it to the ship and get out."

"But-" Vanessa was silenced by a simple wave of Shirley's hand.

"I'll watch your back and help you in. Then it's all up to you." She saluted to her two comrades and then assembled her large firearm.

Vanessa and Adam half jogged, half paced to the compound. Their energy was spent fighting off the aliens who for some reason made no attempt to attack. They just ran past without a second glance, even though they couldn't make a first glance anyway because of their lack of eyes. The doors were shattered. Glass was everywhere and small fires burned in the entrance.

Alien corpses were clogging a hallway, the others had human corpses. A dead predator lay slumped in a corner, his head split open like a melon.

"Jesus! What the fuck happened?" Adam covered his nose to avoid the horrible stench of rotting bodies.

"It looks like they were all fighting each other!" Vanessa stood over an alien which had died eating a human arm. A spear was lodged in it's back.

"Well, hopefully they all killed each other! I don't want to see any more of those thing for the rest of my life!" Adam climbed over a pile of dead guards into the garage. Vanessa hurried after him and the two froze in the huge hangar.

A drop ship had been ripped apart and holes were cut into the walls. The roof of the garage had been torn to allow something huge to crawl through. The incision in the stomach of the compound was way too large for anything the two marines had seen before. It was at least three times bigger than a predator.

"I sure hope that thing ain't coming back!" Adam said. He winced as something burnt his arm. He looked up to see acid dripping down from the gaping hole. He dodged just in time as a large drop fell. It sizzled as it hit the concrete ground and it started to erode the ground.

The acid on Adam's arm had burned clean through him, creating a ragged hole that could be seen through. Adam winced as the skin around the whole blackened and the blood stopped flowing. His whole arm went numb and he had to carry his rifle in one hand now.

"You can drive can't you?" He asked.

Vanessa almost threw up. Her eyes were wide and her shoulders trembled. "It...went straight... through!"

"Don't worry, it doesn't hurt anymore!" He lied. The pain was only in his upper arm but it was worse than anything he had ever felt before. He winced and clenched his teeth. "Ugh! Dammit!" He grasped his arm and kneeled down.

"Are you-"

"I'm fine! Let's just get the hell out of here! There's a ship over there!" He pointed with his good hand at the small green drop ship just a few metres away. Vanessa helped Adam up and they slowly walked to their escape vessel. In a few minutes, they would be free! No more monsters, no more deaths...All they had to do was get on that ship...

...Which suddenly burst into flame. The explosion threw the two marines into a small armoured car which rolled over. Scraps of metal rained down and thick black smoke filled the room. Red tongues flickered and danced, licking at the precious oxygen it needed to keep burning.

Vanessa coughed violently. She could barely breathe, the smoke was so acrid.

But there were worse problems...Three armoured figures stepped into the room.

* * *

A pack of K strains feasted on the remains of their fallen enemy. The black crust tasted awful but food was food. The group all hissed and raised their heads. Something was coming and it wasn't an ally. They all stepped back as the wall before them crumbled.

A huge black Queen stepped through and she waved her many arms around threateningly. The massive jaws snapped and the fanged tongue poked out to snarl at it's opponents.

Two K strains dashed forward, both taking a different side. The pincer attack failed. The first was whipped by the queens powerful tail and the other was snatched up in her claws. The smaller alien screeched as it's torso was crushed. Acid poured out of it's mouth as it bled internally, melting it from the inside. The queen hurled it into the wall were it broke apart in a spray of acidic blood.

The rest of the K strains backed away. They knew this enemy was fearsome and should be avoided but for the good of the hive it must be killed!

They all lunged at her, teeth snapping anxiously, claws stretching out. The queen swiped at the first few and sent them hurtling back into their brethren. The others just jumped over them and continued to charge. The queen wailed as multiple sets of jaws sunk into her flesh. She managed to eviscerate a trio of aliens at her feet with her bare hands. Her tongue lashed out and took down two more, but there were still around fifteen K strains latching onto her.

Two stopped to fight each other, getting carried away. The queen bent down and gnawed at their heads. She then rose to her full height and shook violently. The smaller aliens flew off and bounced on the walls, rolling into an attack position instantly.

The queen screeched, a call to arms for her young. The ceiling and floor rumbled as swarms of black drones rushed to their queens aid. The K strains leapt back and called out as well.

For a few moments, the call received no response. But after a minute, a loud hiss called back. The sound of steel being sliced apart echoed throughout the building and loud, heavy footsteps followed.

The queen huddled amongst her children and spoke in soothing howls. The drones and warriors roared in agreement to her speech and they all turned as one to face the K strains and their new friend.

The huge creature was the same size as the queen but had a normal crest rather than a crown like the queen. It's arms were unusually long and sickle-like blades protruded from the wrists. Small hands flexed behind the huge claws. The beast shrieked and it's comrades lunged forwards to meet the now larger army of pure breeds.

The lesser aliens clashed in a shower of green blood. The walls croaked against the ever growing splatter of acid. The walls began to warp under the stress and a portion of the roof dented inwards.

The strange new breed charged at the queen. The ravager hacked through the smaller minions in it's way, even it's own kind. The K strains looked betrayed and they all stared at what they thought was their saviour, but now they regretted awakening such a monster.

The ravager punched the queen and the thick claws scraped against her crown. The queen grabbed the arm and twisted it, forcing the ravager to stagger. She then raked her claws across the softer underbelly of the ravager. A glass splitting scream escaped it's lips and the queen fell back grasping it's head.

The ravager slammed it's head into the queen and knocked her over. The walls trembled from the heavy crash and the roof began to crack.

The ravager sliced across the queens chest and managed to sever one of her smaller arms. She shrieked and kicked at her opponent throwing him backward. The ravager bumped into a small K strain and furiously tore it in half. It roared and rushed at the queen again.

Goliath fought Goliath and torrents of acid blood gushed everywhere. The queen was heavily wounded and beginning to tire. The ravager was missing an arm and it's stomach was torn open, it's organs spilling out with excessive movement, but it was still strong, in fact it was just getting angrier and more powerful with each injury it survived.

The ravager shrieked and punched the queen again. In her weak state she fell over and flung her limbs around desperately. She had come to accept that these unnatural creatures were not inferior. This was a super breed. This new species was unstoppable. She was doomed to die, her hive forced to extinction by this monster with claws the size of drones.

The ravager raised it's bladed hand and roared. This would be the finishing blow.

But it never came.

The roof split apart and a chunk of concrete fell onto the ravager. The sharp corner drilled through it's head and crushed it's upper body. The ravagers bones snapped and it's body folded in upon itself under the avalanche of concreted.

The queen miraculously was only struck by tiny fragments of rock, none large enough to hurt her.

The few remaining aliens in the room finished their battle, some scurried off to lick their wounds, other chased and hunted the cowards who ran off.

The pure breeds had won this battle, but the K strain was far from eliminated...and there was no way of telling if another ravager was hiding out there!

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	7. Predators And Prey

**7. Predators and Prey**

_**SERIOUSLY...REVIEW THIS OR I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN...AND...ASK YOU AGAIN!**_

WEYLAND YUTANI COMPLEX

SUB LEVEL -1

Jack scouted outside the elevator door and found no sign of life. He waved a hand to the others and they silently crept out of the cramped little lift.

The complex had two sub levels and then a basement. Some vehicles were stored in the basements a few years ago, but whether or not they even worked was unknown. The group had decided to take the chance and descend into the bottom of the complex. Even if they found no working vehicles, they could return to the surface and figure out another form of escape.

"We should rest here for now. We can split up and find some supplies like food, torches, water, ammunition, whatever we need!" Mac studied his group of twelve loyal troops, Jess included. Although she was only a scientist, she had already proved more than useful. Then there was Mac's strange feelings for her. But those thoughts were buried under a pile of more insidious ones, such as the painful deaths that were bound to occur at some point. Mac knew that the aliens were incredibly smart. They knew how to hide, ambush, stalk and kill stealthily and efficiently.

"Jess..." The blonde girl turned to Mac and forced a brave smile. "...You will go with me and Will. Jack, you take Mark and Jerry. Chase, you can team up with Phil and Sanchez. The rest of you are the last team. We shall all split up. Right now, we are in a main corridor. If this is anything like the higher levels, then there should be a few split paths which we can take."

The group divided into their trios and then walked down the hall, rifles drawn.

Sure enough, at the end of the hall was a small room which split into two separate halls. Chase took his team down the left path, Jack took the right hand path. Mac saluted Jack as he descended down the corridor, he then turned to the others. "Alright. We'll go to the other end. Come on!"

After a short jog, they found their fork in the road.

* * *

Back at Chase's path, the group trudged through a ankle deep puddle. The ceiling, merely a mattress of pipes, leaked a steaming liquid. Chase studied it and turned to his comrades. "It's not acid. Only water!"

Phil froze and his eyes widened.

"What?" Sanchez and Chase asked at once.

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"That fucking explosion! It was right above us!" Phil looked straight up.

"What the hell? Do those bug things know how to make bombs or something?" Sanchez glanced at Chase who shook his head.

"No, there was a strange spear-gun thing, but those aliens are too primitive to create such a thing."

"We should go back man!" Phil muttered, his voice cracking halfway through.

"It's fine! Now let's keep going!" Chase set off down the path and repeatedly spun around to see Phil standing stock still.

"Chase, you asshole! Stop for a second! I hear something else!" Phil stared at the ceiling.

"What is it now?"

"It sounds like...the elevator..." Phil turned to face the start of the hallway. "Alright, we can go now! Come on hurry up!" Phil unslung his rifle from his shoulder and kept the barrel aimed behind him as he pushed the others further up the corridor.

* * *

Vanessa squinted through the thick black smoke. It stung her eyes and she could barely see. "Adam?" She swiped at the smoke and it cleared away from her face.

The whole room had been shot to pieces. It looked like a rocket launcher had gone off several times in the room and the fire was too much to just be from the explosions, it was like a flamethrower had been set off as well. All of this could only have been caused by a heavily armed military force, but who...and why?

"Adam?" Vanessa scanned the room but only saw destruction. He was gone.

"Help...me..." It was Adams voice, but it was shaky and slow. "Help...me..."

Vanessa rose to her feet and looked around. The sound seemed to be coming from the other room. She limped slowly to the door-way and found it littered with debris and scraps of metal. A group strange creatures were sprawled out on the floor. Thankfully, they were all dead, some missing their strange, tube-like heads, others singed to ash and some, torn in half. Some were black, but there were also a few golden ones.

"What is this?"

"Who's there?" Adam asked. "What do you want with me?"

Vanessa tilted her head. "Adam? Are you okay? You're acting sort of weird." She limped closer to the source of the sound, under a pile of metal debris.

Adam gasped and made a hideous choking noise.

"Adam?" Vanessa rushed over to the pile and started to remove some of the scraps from the top.

"Is that you..."

"Yes...It's me!" Vanessa had cleared away half of the pile now. Adams, strange noises continued and he asked her questions over and over again.

"Who's there? Who's there? Is that you? Help me! Is that you?" A buzzing of electricity followed and then a deep grunt.

"Don't worry! I'll have you out in no time!" Vanessa tried to reassure him in his stressful position.

"Is...Is that you..."

Vanessa only had to remove one last piece of metal and then she would be reunited with her friend. Her hands gripped the steel scrap and she began to lift it away. She had to close her eyes and grit her teeth just to lift it slightly off of Adam.

"Is that you..."

Almost gone...

"Is that you..."

Vanessa hurled the scrap away and jumped forward to hug Adam, still with her eyes closed..

"VANESSA!" She had to move away as the sound was so deafening. Adam's voice had crackled like as if it was spoken through a machine...

Vanessa opened her eyes and the scream died in her throat. Adam was not there. Instead, it was a predator! It opened it's jaws fully and held in a button on it's wrist. As it's mouth moved, Adams voice spoke.

"What...What is this?" Vanessa backed away quickly. Her feet felt wet suddenly and she bumped into something behind her. She slowly craned her neck...into Adam's face. She smiled and sighed in relief.

That was...until she realised that it was only his head and spine, hanging from a hook in the ceiling. His eyes were almost popping out of his head, in fact one of them had rolled to one side, showing the nerves attached to the back. His tongue lolled out like a thirsty dog, only blood dripped from his tongue, instead of saliva. His spine was almost completely skinless, only a few tattered scraps of red meat clinging to the bone in certain spots.

Vanessa dropped to the floor and threw up violently. She had never been this creeped out in her life. She had seen the horrors of war with her own eyes, but this was far worse! Nightmares were like fairy tales in this place. Human wars only involved bullets and a few bombs, but these alien creatures fought in a way that was too brutal to handle.

Vanessa cried and crawled past the scene of Adams death, but unfortunately, she only stumbled upon the predator's trophy room.

A glass tank, which used to contain fish, now was crammed with internal organs. Various limbs were nailed to the walls and severed heads, some still with the spine attached, were scattered about the room. The walls and floor were drenched in so much blood that it could have filled a small swimming pool.

"VANESSA! HELP ME!" The recorded message of Adam screamed.

Vanessa clasped her ears with her hands and shut her eyes.

_Why did I come here! Shirley was right! We should have stayed outside, away from these fucking monsters!_

* * *

OUTSIDE

Shirley woke up when she realised she was snoring. She looked to and fro and realised she was quite alone. She peeked out from the side of the boulder she leaned against and gazed at the complex.

It looked like it had been bombed. Smoke and towering flames rose out from the roof and the walls were blown apart.

"Geez! What the hell is going on in there?" Shirley tried to turn around, but something was holding the back of her head. "What the he-"She winced as claws dug into her fragile flesh. Whatever was holding her began to twist her head around so that she could see it. Shirley gazed into the eyes of another predator. It's small, deep set eyes glared with a burning hatred, and slight curiosity.

Shirley gasped as her windpipe began to make creaking sounds. She closed her eyes to block out the tears, but it failed.

The predator growled and it's mandibles flailed around.

"You ugly son of a bit-" Shirley never finished the sentence because her head was slammed into the boulder with terrifying force.

* * *

SUB LEVEL -1

Brett, Morrison, Charlie and Sam all stopped dead in their tracks.

"I swear, I keep hearing noises in the roof!" Charlie concentrated his gaze on the roof.

"Just keep moving!" Brett slapped Charlie and they trudged down further. The scratching noises continued, but the group took no notice.

"I keep telling you! There are a bunch of machines down here that power the generators for the whole place. They are the things making that noise!" Morrison shook his head and cursed. "Freaking idiots! Do you hear me?"

No response came.

Morrison turned around to face two backs. "What are you doing?"

Sam whirled around and began to shake. "It's Charlie! He's gone!"

"You mean he ran on us?" Morrison folded his arms.

"No...He went up there!" Brett pointed to a gaping hole in the ceiling. The edges of the hole were stained crimson. "He was dragged up there by something!"

Morrison cursed and shouldered his rifle. "Alright! We keep moving! We'll find this bitch and blow it's fucking brains out!" He stomped down the corridor, followed by Sam. Brett ran after them but tripped. He winced as his face hit the metal grating on the floor.

Something hissed behind him.

Sam crawled to his feet and began to sprint again, but then the hisses came from above. "Guys?" Sam shot nervous glances around the dark, gloomy corridor. The heat was intense and sweat poured down his face half from the heat and half from the paralysing fear which gnawed away at his mind. "Guys! Where the hell are you?" Sam felt something drop onto his nose. He froze and only moved his eyes, looking up into the grated ceiling.

A red stain had suddenly appeared on the integrated steel bars above his head.

"Ah...That's...not...good..." Sam remained perfectly still. He focused his vision past the bloody grate to the shining black mass behind it. The alien snarled at him, somehow aware of it's detection. Shining silver fangs glistened in the low light.

"Hmm..." Sam studied the alien, almost distracted by his curiosity. "You are fucking ugly...but you will look a whole lot worse...when I finish with ya! Die you bastard!" Sam swiftly raised the barrel at the alien and fired a burst of armour piercing rounds into the creatures skull. He then rolled away from the gushing flow of acid.

Sam sighed in relief and strapped his rifle over his back. "That was a close one!" He whirled on his feet and barely saw the big black alien which barrelled into him. Coloured patches of light slashed across Sam's vision as his skull cracked against the steel floor. He cursed loudly and fumbled around for his rifle.

The alien had been knocked aside by something and now sprawled a short distance away. It screeched and hissed in outrage and rolled up into a crouch, ready to pounce.

Sam found his rifle and pointed it at the screaming insectoid creature. The trigger retracted, but no muzzle flash followed, neither did a deafening boom. However, the alien still collapsed in a spray of blood. Sam frowned curiously and looked down at his gun. When he looked up, a tall, armoured bipedal creature sprinted past him. It stood taller than any normal person and wore a strange bronze mask. Sam wanted to say "What the hell?" but decided against it as the creature was still within earshot, not that he knew for certain the creature could even hear at all...

After a minute of silence, Sam finally roared a mighty curse and rubbed at the aching wound at the back of his head.

* * *

"Hey lovebirds..." Will called to Jess and Mac. Both turned to him with sour expressions. "Did you hear that scream just before?" Will pointed with his thumb back in the direction they had come from. "It sounded like one of those aliens, but I think there were gunshots as well, so hopefully it's dead!"

"Well hopefully isn't good enough!" Mac kicked the wall and cursed. "These things weren't supposed to be this close behind us! This was our chance to rest!"

"That an we are divided. We can't call back the others now..." Jess stared at the ground. "Wait! There is a comm room down here somewhere! If we find it, we can use the intercom to call back the others! We can regroup and go further!" Jess began running down the hall.

"Hey wait up!" Mac ran after her and Will reluctantly followed.

The group ducked through several corridors and found a small room which contained communications equipment. Jess beamed and cheered excitedly. Mac however was not as happy. He could overhear intruders coming closer.

"Will, I want you to stand guard!"

Will left the room and stood outside whistling to himself.

Mac and Jess fiddled with the controls of a intercom speaker and after a few minutes of toying with it, the dusty old machine turned on. Mac gripped the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb. "I hope this works!"

* * *

Vanessa looked up at a small speaker set into the wall. It crackled and then a deep voice with a slight accent spoke.

_#This is Captain Ian Macintyre. Anyone who is still alive, please report to...# The intercom went silent for a few seconds. #The warehouse in the sub basement! The aliens have already caught up with us and we need to go deeper to escape. Keep your eyes open and please...survive!#_

"Mac...So there are survivors! I need to get down there!" Vanessa ran to the lifts. When she got there she stabbed the controls and felt the hairs rise on the back of her neck. Something kept scaring her...one thought which nagged at her and made her tense...

_How did the aliens get down there?_

As she pondered that, the elevator door creaked open.

An arm fell out of the lift and a mutilated predator was scattered in pieces over the cramped little space. Vanessa lifted the collar of her top over her nose and mouth to mask the stench and she stepped inside. Butcher flies ate at it's rotting yellow flesh.

Butcher flies were a type of insect on this planet which ate meat. They were the insect version of a vulture, but only the size of a tennis ball.

Dull green blood painted the interior of the lift and a gaping hole was torn into the roof.

_So that was how they did it!_

The door clicked and spread open to reveal the vast expanse of the sub basement. It was mainly used for storage and only consisted of around five rooms, the main warehouse and four small rooms set into the sides.

Vanessa dived out and took in deep breaths. She had been holding it the entire time in the elevator. She called out for Mac and then anyone, but there was no response.

_First one here..._

Vanessa couldn't help but overhear gunshots and screaming above her...

* * *

"AAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHH!"

"SHOOT THE FUCKING THING!"

"SANCHEZ! SANCHEZ!"

A terrified trio fought against a wave of black death. The aliens had crawled out of everywhere, the roof, floor and walls. They had managed to wipe out the attackers from behind and above, but the frontal assault was draining them.

Sanchez had been slashed across the chest and one leg was numb as the nerves had been severed. He threw a grenade into the pack of screeching aliens, and a great explosion erupted in the tunnel. The pipes on the ceiling fell and formed a wall, stopping the aliens from advancing.

"Oh geez! That was too close-" Sanchez screamed as a skeletal hand burst through the floor and grabbed his foot. His agonised screams stretched on as he was dragged down.

"SANCHEZ!"

A gurgling choke came from below and then the horrific sound of flesh being ripped apart.

"SANCHEZ!" Phil shot frenziedly at the floor, emptying the whole clip on, most likely, nothing.

"Leave it! We have to keep moving!" Chase dragged his companion away and they sprinted full tilt. They eventually found a stair case and the dove down, almost breaking bones in their insane leaps to safety. Phil jumped down another set of stairs but landed short and tripped. Chase was already too far ahead to realise Phil had fallen.

"Ahh crap! Damn that hurts!" Phil rubbed his shin. Suddenly, his blood ran cold and he began to sweat.

Something growled nearby and he slowly looked into the non-existent eyes of a K strain alien. His eyes darted around, looking for his gun but it was nowhere to be found. All he found was his hunting knife. He slipped it out of the leather pouch on his boot and pointed it at the alien, a fierce expression on his face.

"Come get me you son of a bitch!" Phil snarled and glared at the alien, who began to hiss at him. It's jaws quivered and it leapt at him. The two rolled around in a grappling match. Although the monster was stronger, Phil put up a tough fight. Phil shoved the alien into the wall and punched it several times in the head.

The alien kicked him down and then pounced again landing on his chest. Pinned to the floor and unable to move, Phil just smiled arrogantly at the creature. He spat in it's face and then laughed. But his laughter was cut short by the inner jaws of the alien as they dug through his head and came out with a mouthful of brain matter.

* * *

Brett and Morrison stood by an elevator. The had only just pushed the button and were waiting for it to grant them access to freedom.

Running footsteps caught their attention and they both turned to see what they expected to be Sam. But they were wrong.

A predator ran into a clear area and it's hideous body was revealed to the shocked marines.

"What the hell is that thing?" Brett slowly unslung his rifle but the predator hurled something at him with such speed that it was almost invisible. The object, some kind of bladed disc, halved the soldier and then curved around to slice him up worse.

Morrison roared and opened fire on the beast but he became distracted by a shadow behind him. Inside the lift, a large golden alien crouched. It had spiky limb protruding from it's back and two spider-like infants crawled about on them. The strange alien snatched the two face huggers and threw them at the predator and Morrison. Both writhed about, kicking and screaming as they were slowly suffocated by the infantile monsters.

* * *

BASEMENT

In the darkness, something lay in wait. The golden queen sat atop a throne of corpses, human and alien. She felt neglected. The human cattle had fed her and tended to her a long time ago, but now she had been forgotten. She would have rushed off to fight the intruders, but she was busy replenishing her kinds numbers. As the eggs slid out of her she would hiss softly. She bowed her crowned head and waited...waited for food...waited...for battle!

I still havent recieved any reviews! What's going on? I know there are only a few people reading this, but please review! It is incredibly difficult to write without any support! So do it right now! Review!

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	8. The Basement

**8. The Basement**

_**REVIEW! REVIEW!! REVIEW!! Okay...I think you get the message...**_

COMPANY COMPLEX

SUBLEVEL -2

"Do you think they could have made it down here as well?" Jess asked. She was trembling and so Mac placed an arm over her shoulder. Her eyes widened at first but soon relaxed.

"Geez, at leats wait until we get to the basement before you get busy!" Will muttered.

"We are not 'getting busy' you asshole!" Jess snapped. The others both stared at her afterwards.

"Where did that come from? I thought you were the princess in need of rescue, not a snappy little cat." Will continued to insult her.

Mac placed a hand on Will's shoulder. "Give it a rest. We need to stick together if we want to live."

"A bit of a cliché don't you think?" Jess asked. The question was met with cocked heads and confused glares. "Oh...um...A cliché is sort of...um...predictable?" Jess murmured, unsure of herself. The others nodded slightly and then turned away.

"Stop using your scientist terms around us! Speak freakin English!" Will said.

"Scientist terms? That wasn't scientific!! Are you retarded?!" Jess snapped back.

"You want to drink your own blood?! Because I will knock your fucking teeth out if you say that again!! Bitch!" Will clenched a fist and gritted his teeth.

"Hey!" Mac yelled. The two quarrelling people turned to him. "We have worse problems around here, other than Wills vocabulary, understood?"

"What the fuck is a vocab...vocap...that thing you said?" Will asked, a glint of shame in his eyes. Will had been a brute since childhood. He would get into street fights instead of going to school, and he had been to prison twice before enlisting into the marines. Education had been his weakness, but soldiers only needed to know two things: point and shoot , or so Will thought.

"It's like...your personal dictionary." Mac tried to explain to his dim-witted companion.

"Oh..." Will nodded and then turned to Jess. "We'll finish this later!" Jess scowled at him and clenched a fist. She looked around the blank room and then glared at Will again.

"How about we end it now? Huh, mate?" Jess impersonated Wills deep voice on the last two words.

"Oh that's it!!" Will rushed forwards to Jess who was waiting for him. When Will came within a few metres, the floor beneath him split apart and a massive set of arms grabbed his leg and waist. Will roared and unslung his rifle. Another pair of smaller golden arms joined the first pair.

"GET THIS THIING OFF OF ME!!!" Will screamed. The hands grabbed at his head and shoulders as well as his feet. The opposing pairs of arms began to pull in opposite directions, as if playing tug-of-war with the poor soldiers body. Will shrieked as bones cracked in his spine and he began to drool blood. "HELP ME!!!" HE roared.

Mac shot at the hands, but only one drew back into the floor. He emptied the clip and then unleashed more rounds. Two more hands withdrew and the last failed to support him. Will dropped to the ground where he spluttered and coughed.

Mac ran to his subordinate and checked his wounds. Jess also ran her eyes over him.

"Hmm." Jess poked at Wills back and he roared in pain. "His back in broken. He wont be able to walk, we'll need to carry him."

"Oww. Fuck! Just shoot me and end it!!"

"No! I never abandon a fellow soldier! You're coming with us!" Mac picked up his upper body and jess carried him by the legs.

"You think that things gone yet?"

"I hope so...but then again...oh crap!" Mac went pale.

"What? What is it?!" Jess almost dropped Will but remembered him just in time.

"If that thing came through the floor...then you know what that means?" Mac muttered.

"Oh no!" Jess dropped Will's legs and stepped back. "They're already at the basement! They beat us!!"

Mac opened his mouth to speak, but before he could utter a word, the floor split again. A giant, crested skull rose up and grabbed Will in it's jaws. Will's torso gushed crimson fluid and he screamed in agony.

"WILL!!"

The golden queen snapped her jaws shut and Will's head and legs dropped to the floor while his torso was eaten.

"AAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHH!!!!" Jess screamed. She burst into a frenzied sprint. Mac called after her and began to chase her, leaving the wretched queen to devour the remains of Will.

*****

SUB BASEMENT

Vanessa froze. She could hear screaming and gunfire nearby above her. She slowly backed away before turning around and walking away from the sounds. She turned a corner and screamed. One of the golden aliens was crawling up through the floor. Something fell down through the gaping hole in the ceiling and it rolled over to Vanessa's feet. It was dark and Vanessa could barely see it. She knew she should have just run, but her curiosity got the better of her. She stooped down lower and had to cover her mouth to avoid screaming.

It was a human head! It was caved in from the fall and brain matter was spilling out from the large crack in the skull. It's dead, blank eyes stared at her, as if pleading for help. Vanessa ran back around the corner and threw up. She then ran as fast as she could into another room.

Her eyes focused on a bright yellow sign above a hole in the wall. It read: stairs.

_Oh thank god!! I made it!! _

She hurled herself down the stairs, but failed to clear the jump, landing on the stairs. Her ankle twisted and she rolled down the next three stairs onto the cold cement floor of the basement. She felt warm liquid flowing down her face and she wiped at it with her hand. When she gazed at her palm, it was soaked in blood. She felt a sharp pain on her forehead. She ran a finger over the area and deduced that a large gash was there.

She shakily rose to her feet and felt her blood run cold.

The sound of heavy footsteps came from the top of the stairs.

_No! That monster is coming after me!! No!!_

She started to run, but as soon as she out weight on her ankle, she collapsed. She whimpered and clambered back to her feet.

The footsteps were coming from the bottom of the stairs...now they were on the floor of the basement.

Vanessa limped away, not looking back, her fear to much already. The footsteps sped up.

_It's running after me now!! It'll catch me in no time!! I don't want to die!! I don't want to die!!_

A hand clasped around her waist and Vanessa screamed with everything she had.

"Clam down!! I'm on your side! I'm a marine."

Vanessa sighed and turned around to face the soldier who smiled broadly and extended a hand to shake.

"The name's Chase, what's yours?"

"Van...Vanessa." She stuttered.

"Nice name. Are you a..." Chase placed a finger on his chin and looked into the distance.

"Goth?" She asked, looking down at her black uniform.

"I was gonna say a troop in Bravo squad, but whatever..."

Vanessa smiled sheepishly. It felt odd to be smiling after what had happened in the last two days, but it was a welcome change.

"Did you get the message?" Chase asked, but spoke again afterwards instead of waiting for an answer. "We should search for a ship so we can get out of here!"

Vanessa nodded and looked around at the piles of scrap metal and other junk.

"There is a ship!"

Chase and Vanessa squinted through the darkness at a trio of shadows approaching them. When they came into light, Chase sighed with relief.

"Jack!! You made it!!"

"Don't forget us you dick!" Mark scratched angrily at his scarred cheek.

"We got the ship up and running, we are just waiting for the others to get here." Jerry said, running a oil-stained hand through his dirty, sweaty blonde hair.

"How many are you expecting?" Chase asked.

"Well..." Jack frowned. "I'm only thinking that Mac will make it. We heard the screams of a few unfortunate men.

"Who?"

"Charlie and Brett. Morrison is probably dead too. I'm assuming Sanchez and Phil are dead too since the aren't with you."

Chase lowered his head and frowned. "Yes...Both are probably being digested by those creatures. We should take down every last one of them!!"

"It would be good...but we need to get out of here. Escape is our mission here...We will survive and get reinforcements. Then we will blow the shit out of this forsaken planet!" Everyone nodded and raised a fist.

"We'll come back here and burn these ugly motherfuckers!!" Mark yelled.

*****

UPPER FLOORS

A predator stared at two of it's usual prey fighting amongst each other. The black breed hacked at it's golden foe. The two inflicted deadly injuries on each other, no matter who fell first, both would die. The predator grunted and lifted it's spear, aiming it's point at the golden creatures head. The predators thick muscles flexed as it hurled the spear, which despite it's primitive origins, seemed quite high tech. The spear went through the elongated skull of the alien, spraying the other in acid. Both began to convulse and collapsed in mutilated heaps next to each other.

The predator retrieved the spear and scanned the area. It cycled through the different visionary aids that were provided by it's helmet. None showed any more living species.

It's wrist mechanism beeped loudly. A message scrolled across it's small screen. The writing would just look like a series of small lines to any other species, but the predator understood. The hunt had moved underground. The prey were on the move.

The predator pressed button on the shaft of the spear and the blade retracted into a small tube which slotted into it's belt.

If the creature could speak English...it would have said "The chase is on!"

*****

SUBLEVEL -1

The purebred queen sniffed the air. It was stale with the smell of k strain scum. They had contaminated this region as well. The queen sighed to her followers. Her minions were so loyal that they would follow no matter what. Two of her children dragged themselves across the ground as their legs had been removed. Both ruler and her followers relied on each other for protection.

The smaller aliens hissed and crowded protectively around the queen. The source of their distress screeched back at them, slowly crawling out of the shadows.

The queen roared and stepped forward past her children. She feared none!

The golden claws crept into sight and soon the wretched faces came out as well. A trio of warriors hissed defiantly at their enemy.

The queen approached them and let them launch the first strike. A k strain warrior leapt towards her face and the queen caught it in mid-air. Effortlessly, she tore it in half. The two others rushed to avenge their fallen comrade. The queen swiped at them and watched with non-existent eyes as they fell into pieces.

The queen roared triumphantly and continued her march.

*****

SUB LEVEL -2

Jess tripped over as a loud roar echoed down through the steel, grated floor. Her eyes drifted upwards, to see many black, inhuman feet. Jess closed her eyes for a moment and calmed her erratic breathing.

_From what I've seen they don't have ears...but I'm not taking chances!_

The creatures above fell silent.

Jess held her breath, not daring to make the slightest noise.

The aliens began to march slowly away from her. Jess wanted to sigh, but knew fully well that it could result in her death.

_I can't believe it! I didn't get noticed by the-_

Her thought was disrupted as a large hand grabbed her head and dragged her back to a group of waiting predators. Their stares were hidden behind their odd masks, but Jess was silently thankful...She didn't want to meet one of these things eye to eye.

The predator standing behind her grunted something in his guttural language. Jess felt like saying "What?" But again, decided that noise would only lead to trouble.

The predator lifted her chin up and drew back it's fist. A click came from the armoured device there and two cruelly curved blades shot out. Jess stared wide eyed at the wrist blades. Only one thought could cycle through her mind.

_Mac! Help me!! Help me!! Please!!_

*****

SUB-BASEMENT

Mac reached the last step and gasped for breath. He had been running around the level above for too long. Jess was probably already here waiting. Or so he thought. As he strolled into the expansive warehouse, he noticed a group of survivors. With dread, he slowly came to a conclusion. Jess wasn't here!

"You made it Mac!" Jack approached him, expecting to receive praise for making it alive, but instead he was met with frenzied shouting.

"Jess! Where is she?!"

"That blonde girl? I don't know..."

"WHERE IS SHE?!" Mac growled.

"Clam down Mac-"

"Shut up!! We're all going back up! Now!" Mac commanded.

"Bullshit! We aren't going to end up as food for those things just to save your little pet. If she's dead then she's dead! Let's just get out of here!" Jerry said. Mac grabbed him by the collar and lifted him from the ground.

"You take that back before I break your neck!"

Jerry laughed. "Go ahead and kill me! But I'm the only one who knows how to fly a drop ship. So without me you are fucked with a capital 'k'. " He smiled smugly, only to be punched in the face and thrown to the floor.

"I'll get you, smartass! Just you wait! Now I'm gonna need someone to go with me up there!"

Mark raised a hand. "I'll go! I didn't get to fight anyone and I have an itchy trigger finger!"

Mac grinned. "Alright! We will be back in twenty minutes...otherwise...It was a fun ride...goodbye!" Both he and Mark, mock saluted before heading back upstairs.

*****

BASEMENT

The golden queen groaned. Childbirth was bittersweet. She needed more children, danger was coming...but the pain was excruciating. Being neglected made the eggs shrivelled and mutated. Something was wrong about these spawn...something unnatural.

Two of her children had become giant beasts. One grew blade like claws all over it's arms, the other sprouted extra limbs which carried the newborns. They were useful...but wrong! She had contaminated her hive with these...things! She was angry...but soon her rage would be vented out against her enemy.

But, she realised she would be weak on an empty stomach. She had to eat...and quick.

Her head turned to the egg sac. It was big, definitely enough to quiet her rumbling stomach...

The first bite brought contrasting emotions. Pain and pleasure at once. To her...pain never felt so good.

After eating half of the egg sac, her face twitched. A certain odour hung in the air...It was the smell of the two legged cattle. The weak beings who enslaved her long ago. They were close...right above her, just out of reach. But now that her egg sac was destroyed...she was free to roam...and to hunt!

_**REVIEW!! IT HAS BEEN FAR TOO LONG WITHOUT ANY COMMENTS! SOMEONE JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK DAMMIT!!**_


	9. Hunting Grounds

**9. Hunting Grounds**

SUB LEVEL-1

Jess looked around at her surroundings. The predators sat in a circle nearby, having a conversation in their deep growled language. Despite fearing for her life, she couldn't help but be fascinated by them. They would momentarily crane their necks and stare at her through their masks, then turn back to the conversation.

To Jess, it was as if she were watching a strange nature documentary. These beasts were unusual. Although in many ways they were primitive creatures, their equipment was sometimes even more advanced than that of humans. Although Jess had no clue what they were saying, she assumed it was a discussion. One of the predators flicked a switch on it's wrist, creating a hologram. It was a cutaway of the whole complex.

Jess almost gasped out of excitement. This technology was amazing, it was like a high-tech radar in 3D. It showed small yellow objects amongst the layers of the building. On closer inspection, Jess realized they were all the people were. A large group was on the second lowest floor, the sub-basement. Two others were heading back up to where Jess's location was.

The predators studied them curiously. After a short conversation in deep grunts, they flicked the switch again and a new hologram came up. It was still of the complex, but had white shapes, instead of yellow. One of the white shapes was right next to their group which came out as blue shapes.

The closest of them merely leaned over and hurled a spear. Seconds later, one of the black insectiod fell from the roof.

Jess looked back at the hologram, but it was gone. The beasts were already standing up and making their way along the corridor...closer to the two marines on their way to her. Jess stayed near the back of the group, an angry predator jabbed at her with a blunt pole. She begrudgingly went faster, but the creature in front of her snarled and gestured for her to go back. "Decide on where you want me to be! Fuck!"

The whole group stopped and turned o face Jess. Her eyes were wide enough to pop out of her head, but fortunately they didn't. The beasts were talking amongst each other and they all raised their weapons. Jess collapsed to her knees. She was so terrified that her bones shook.

"I-I'm sorry!! I just-" She was disrupted by a slap that only fell short of snapping her neck. She dropped to the ground and cried.

She expected a blade to sink into her face and end her life, but they ignored her. Something was banging around nearby. It hissed aggressively and scratched at steel making a horrible grating noise.

The predator clan looked around hesitantly, their masked heads darting back and forth searching for the enemy.

Jess recognised it immediately. A giant mass of dull yellow flesh came out of the darkness. The golden exoskeleton was stained red. The blood had come from Will when this queen had killed him. As the frontline of predators rushed to fight, the one with the strange holo-map turned it back on. He grunted in a awkwardly high pitch. Had it been in words, it would have been: 'what the hell?!'

Two predator were knocked down by the queens large front arms. A third latched onto the spined back and hacked at the queen with his wrist blades. The two smaller arms grabbed the unfortunate predator and held him up while the barbed tail drove through his torso. The predator writhed about as his bright yellow blood sprayed out. The Queen dropped him and stomped on the head of one of those who had been knocked down earlier. Brain matter shot out as the small head was crushed by the huge foot.

Two of the others shot at the queen with shoulder mounted canons. The weapons fired a burst of blue energy which burnt easily through the queens hide. The enraged beast squealed and impaled another unfortunate victim on it's tail. As more joined the fight, the queen was slowly overpowered.

The group of six all lunged at the queen, slicing at different parts of her neck. Her head fell in a cascade of acidic blood and the predators leapt out of the path of the corrosive arterial spray.

Jess stared wide eyed as the floor gave way. Two of the survivors fell down with the floor as it collapsed. The predators were now trapped on the opposite side of the hole in the floor, cutting them off from her. She may be safe now, she thought.

*****

SUB-LEVEL -2

The pure queen stopped her armies march. Something was hiding in the corner of the large space they found themselves in. It reeked of contamination and inferiority. It was a k-strain, definitely. The creature stepped out of it's hiding place.

It was another of the mutated species. It had extra limbs which ended in a single claw rather than a hand. It hissed defiantly and raised it's six arms.

The queen waved a hand and her minions ran off to fight it.

The strange new breed was not made for battle. After slaying two foes, it was knocked over and torn apart by the queens loyal troops. Her presence spurred them on to fight with increased ferocity. She, herself was like a drug which made them almost hyperactive, sending them into a frenzied bloodlust.

The odd creature squealed as it's extra arms were severed and then used to impale it.

The queen shrieked happily. Her army had done well. Her non-existent eyes focused on the wall ahead of her. She crept closer and noticed that the floor sloped downwards through the gap in the wall. The slope was rigid instead of smooth, a mistake the bipedal cattle made often. She could smell the cattle in question...they were down at the other end of the slope...and so was a k-strain who would prove a far more serious threat than all the others...the K-strain's queen!

*****

FLOOR 1

Kadinsky wheezed as he crawled half of himself along the floor. His legs and several internal organs remained behind where they were seperated. He could feel it in his bones. The two hives were locked in fierce combat with each other. The purebreds had managed to make it down to the lower floors and defeated the new hive...but the original K strain queen still remained. The second gold queen had been killed, he heard it's cries as it was slaughtered. His children were dying and it pained him.

Two queens were bred, one was cloned years ago, the other, only recently. Kadinsky had birthed her when he was let in on the project. He knew he would not live to see the fruits of his labour. He would die here...but if the plan failed, there was a plan B.

He was going to go to the labs. There, he could monitor the K strains progress and decide when or if, the plan must be aborted.

As he dragged his mutilated body to the labs, he smelled the air. Death had taken on a variety of aroma's due to the corpses of different creatures. Humans, aliens and another strange species of creature all lay in pools of multicoloured fluids.

Kadinsky sighed.

_Nature is beautiful...truly beautiful!_

*****

SUB-LEVEL -1

Mac signalled for Mark to stop. He looked around anxiously, eyes wide.

"You heard that...didn't you?" Mac pointed ahead. Mark gave a quick nod and they cautiously crept onwards down the dim corridor. They could hear deep roars and metal scraping against metal. A loud sizzle, like meat on a barbeque, was also audible.

"What do you think happened?" Mark asked, frantically scratching his scar.

"I have no clue, but it won't be pretty!" Mac snapped a clip into his pulse rifle and slid against a wall. Around the corner, the growls were becoming incredibly loud...but there was another sound in the mix...something like a human scream...

_Jess! _

Mac dived into the open and scanned the area. One of the predators were clawing it's way out of a huge pit which used to be covered by metal grating. It's body was lacerated, and a pained expression could be read on it's clearly inhuman features. Mac frowned at the creature. To him, even an evil creature, regardless of it's opposition to him, deserved to die painlessly. Mac strolled up to it and sent a bullet into it's forehead. The creature fell back into the hole, landing on the floor of the lower levels. He was joined by the corpses of two more of his kind and a huge golden monstrosity with a bony crown.

Mac froze when he heard something call out to him. His gaze followed the source of the sound and he noticed Jess kneeling beside the edge of the pit on the other side. There was a ten metre gap between them and the comfort each others company.

"Jess! You're alive!" Mac smiled broadly.

"Where are the others?" She yelled.

"They are down below. We found a ship and are ready to get the hell out of here!" Mac felt the urge to cry, but his body refused to allow it.

"How do we get to her?" Mark approached casually. "Can she jump?" He smirked at his own joke and laughed when Jess gave him a dirty look.

"We can't go around...it's too dangerous...but, if we got the drop ship to fly up past here, we could easily get her!" Mac slammed a fist into his palm. "Mark, go down and tell them to start up the ship. We'll stay here and wait for the ship to come get us."

"Alright...but what if the ship doesn't work?" Mark scratched his scar nervously.

"We'll still wait here. Now go." Mac crossed his legs and sat down, staring at the unearthly corpses beneath.

Mark saluted as he jogged back the way he came.

"Now we play the waiting game..." Mac sighed.

*****

BASEMENT

The small ship seemed to glow with a hopeful radiance. Freedom crossed the minds of those present. The ordeal would finally be over.

Jack, Chase, Vanessa, Jerry...only four members of two whole squads remained. None had much confidence in the return of Mac, Jess or Mark. Most likely, the creatures had killed them all.

Jerry sprinted over to their escape vessel and wrestled with the door. The mechanism groaned and it slowly shifted aside so that they could get in. Jerry stuck his head inside the cabin and went to the pilots seat. The window was too dusty to see through, but the sickening red splatter was obvious to all. Jerry never even screamed.

The others backed away, rifles unslung and ready to fire. Jack cursed and tip-toed over to the ship. He kicked the side wall with his heel and then leapt back. Something inside hissed angrily. The thing inside made the whole ship buckle. Jack leapt aside as it rolled. The thing inside hissed and it's claws scraped along the steel interior.

The hideous creature crawled out into view. It looked like a cross between the two alien species. It had a black exoskeleton, but a series of tentacles on it's forehead which looked like the dreadlocks fashioned by the Predators. It also had the Predators mandibles.

"What the...fuck?!" Chase made a disgusted face. "It's like...it's like they had a baby."

"Yeah...one big, ugly fucking baby!" Jack shouldered his rifle and took aim. "If I miss, blow the things brains out! Got it?"

"Yep." Chase raised his gun. The predalien sniffed the air and then twisted it's head to stare directly at the frightened trio. It's non-existent eyes stared through them...at something else...

Chase lined the barrel up with the head of the monstrous thing, but as his finger retracted, something grabbed him and lifted him up high. Chase screamed like a woman as multiple sets of claws began to eviscerate him.

"Chase!!" Jack looked wide eyed at the towering mass of golden evil. The k strain queen stood taller than any other. It's head hit the ceiling. It hissed before digging it's huge fangs into Chases bare entrails. Blood and organs poured down onto the ground, close to Vanessa. The Goth girl dived to the side and curled into a ball, screeching like a banshee.

"Shut up!!" Jack roared as he let loose a burst of steel into the Queens face. The bullets barely did anything, merely making small dents in her crowned forehead. She roared and hurled Chase at him. Chase fell into pieces and his left arm slapped Jack in the face. Jack threw up instantly, emptying his stomach.

"Jack!! Chase!! Goth chick!!" Mark sprinted down the stairs and shot the queen in her thin skeletal legs. Acidic blood spurted out and leaked onto the concrete floor, melting it. Mark held his finger down on the trigger, emptying the clip into the monster. The queen's leg snapped and twisted, forcing her to her knees.

The Queen roared and attempted to crawl to her enemy, when the predalien barrelled into it. The predalien was a quarter of the size of the queen, but now that she was injured, stood a better chance. The smaller black xenomorph bit into the Queens bony shoulder and hissed in gratification when the queen squealed.

"Get in the ship!!" Mark dragged Vanessa beside him as he ran past the feuding aliens.

"What about Mac?!" Jack asked as he was pushed into a seat. He looked down and saw Jerry's headless corpse. Brain matter and blood covered the window fully and Mark, with a dry retch, wiped it away with his bare hands.

"Mac is on the upper floor with Jess. We'll pick him up on the way!" Mark stared at the controls. "Does anyone know how to use this thing?!"

Vanessa shoved him aside and pressed several buttons. "I'll fly if you shoot down every single one of those things that comes near us."

"Deal." Mark loaded a fresh clip into his rifle.

The ship jolted and shifted slightly. It rose steadily and began to slowly hover across the ground.

Outside, the queen had caught the predalien's hands and was using her secondary arms to tear out the tentacle, like dreadlocks on it's victims head. The predalien wailed as it's skull was scratched mercilessly. The queen stopped toying with it and twisted it's spine before tearing it in half. By then, the ship was right in front of it. The Queen roared and reached out to grab the side of the ship.

The crew screamed as the ship was thrown about like a toy.

"Shoot it!! KILL IT!!" Vanessa yelled as she tried to steady the vessel.

Jack opened the side hatch and leaned out, rifle in hand. He stared into the cavernous jaws of the Queen. He closed his eyes and fired.

"!!!!"

A light could be seen at the back of the Aliens throat...because a clean hole had been carved into it's head. Acid sprayed out the opposite side, fortunately away from the ship. Somehow, the alien continued to wrestle with the ship.

Mark joined in, firing into the beasts mouth. Enraged, the queen shook the ship violently, causing Mark to fall into it's mouth.

"Mark!!" Jack stretched a hand out and Mark's fingertips contacted his, but it was not enough. With a sickening scream, Mark disappeared down the Queens throat and into it's stomach. "No!!" Jack roared. He wrenched the trigger back on his rifle, but nothing happened, other than a slight click. "What?!" It was empty, and Jack had no spare ammunition.

"Shit!!" Jack reached for a sheath on his leg and drew out a hunting knife. He jabbed it into the gums of the Queen and she withdrew her head from the ship. Jack leapt back into the ship and closed the hatch. "GO!!"

The ship struggled to go on as the queen still gripped the vessel in her mighty claws.

"Let go you stupid-" Jack's words caught in his throat.

The Queen let go of the ship and grasped her stomach. Her stomach was bulging and blood was spraying out. She screeched and stared at her stomach as it erupted in a shower of gore. A rifle dropped out, soon followed by an arm, then a whole body. Mark flopped out and crashed hard on the ground. His skin was burned in many places and he was covered in slime, but he was alive.

The ship lowered itself so that he could crawl inside. He leaned against the wall, breathing deeply and raggedly.

"How the hell did you do that?!" Jack asked, shaking his hand. "You're one tough piece of meat!"

Mark just looked at him and grinned. "Chicks dig scars don't they?"

"Yeah...why?"

Mark turned on his side to reveal his hip. It had been splashed with acid and was burning away, bone and all.

"Oh fuck!!" Hey Vanessa, Have we got a first aid kit?!"

Vanessa pointed to a small cupboard set into a wall. "In there. There should be at least bandages."

"Need more than bandages for this..." Mark said.

Jack knocked things out of the way as he searched through the first aid kit. He cheered and came back with a green tin box.

"Don't worry buddy! We're gonna be okay!" Jack smiled, but inside, he had serious doubt's that anyone would survive this...even though they were so close to freedom.

I'm really sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, I'll try and improve on that. For those who are reading, thanks for being so patient and for reviewing. It has really helped. 

**_Please review._**


	10. Extinction

**10. Extinction**

The drop-ship rose steadily and came close to a large hole in the floor. Something had burned through it, that meant there were still Aliens prowling around down here.

Jack held a scalpel over Marks melting hip. "I'm sorry man, but I have to do this or you'll die! Now hold still."

"What are you doing?" Mark asked dazedly.

Jack prompted him to be quiet as he lowered the blade into his friends blackened flesh. It sunk in with a wet squelch which made him wince. The acid was splashed in a small patch on his hip. As long as he cut out the affected area, he would then be fine...or at least better than dead. Mark roared in agony as the blade sunk fully into his side.

"Oh god!! STOP!! STOP YOU BASTARD!!" Mark swiped at his comrade, but Jack ducked under it and then punched him square in the jaw. Mark fell unconscious instantly and Jack sighed.

"It was the only way." He then re-commenced digging into the decaying flesh of his hip. The burnt area was deeper than he first imagined. In the end, a chunk the size of a large steak was sizzling in a bucket of water.

"Fuck! That stuff spreads fast!" Vanessa stared at the chunk of muscle which was becoming smaller every second. "If we waited 30 seconds longer, he would have been split in half!"

"I know. That was dangerous. We can't let that happen again. He was lucky it didn't reach any organs, but anywhere else on his body and arteries, lungs, bone...it all would have melted."

"Damn. So...where is your friend? Are they- whoa!!" Vanessa was thrown on her face as the ship jolted. Metal began to scrape against metal and something deep and guttural was coming from outside.

"Oh, crap! Something's trying to get in!!" Jack took up his Mark's rifle and headed for the hatch. He peered out the small window and scouted a Predator clinging to the side of the ship, his spear embedded in the metal hide.

"I see him!" Vanessa called out from the control panel. "Hold onto something!"

Mark held onto a bar set into the door The ship veered to the side and began to hit the wall outside. The Predator was ground up into mush and powder as it was crushed between two metal objects.

"Take that!" Vanessa cheered.

'boom'

"Another one!" Jack followed the source of the sound and looked at the ceiling. "Keep her steady! I'm going out there!"

"Be careful..." Vanessa said with an obvious concern in her tone.

"Don't worry. I'll kick it's ass!" Jack opened the hatch and grabbed hold of the wing. He hauled himself up on top and met the eyes of the predator. It's helmet was nowhere in sight and it's face looked freshly scarred. Jack just stared at it until it began to charge. He pulled the trigger on reflex and the thing was flung back, off of the ship, to plummet far down to a violent death. Jack looked around anxiously. He found nothing and so decided to go back inside until...

"Jack! You're alive!!" The voice came from above, like a middle-aged Scottish version of god.

"Mac, you feisty old bastard! How are you?"

"Seen better days. You?"

"Same here...seen much better days." Jack glared at the crushed entrails and blood on the side of the ship.

The ship rose slowly, until it had come up through the floor of the giant pit until they were level with the rest of the survivors. Rather than have a soppy reunion, they ran for the hatch. Jack saw another Predator out of the corner of his eye and stayed behind. "I'll catch up with you." He closed the hatch and loaded a clip into the rifle.

The predator howled and it was quickly joined by two others.

"Quite a few of you huh?" Jack shouldered the weapon and fired. The shot hit it's target and penetrated the strange mask, hitting the creature in the face and causing it to die instantly. One of the others took out it's wrist blades and slowly crept towards it's prey. The other made a movement as if throwing something, but Jack was distracted and did not see anything come out of it's hand.

The first predator was now running full tilt, within a few metres. Jack overheard a loud buzzing behind him and ducked. The predator did the same. Jack rolled backwards, dangerously close to the edge of the wing. The other predator caught it's bladed disc and shook it's head as if disappointed. It put the disc away and pulled a small tube from it's hip belt. Jack stopped looking when the first predator thrust a bladed fist at him. He side stepped and watched the blades get caught in the wing. The creature grunted in surprise and glared at Jack who was bringing the barrel of his rifle up to it's head. Jack pulled the trigger, but at that moment, the other predator barrelled into him, making him lose his aim. The bullet struck the roof of the ship and must have headed inside, judging from the screams inside.

Jack used the butt of the rifle to club the Predator and knock it off of him, he then kicked it away, almost knocking it from the wing. It gripped the edge of the wing hard and struggled to climb up. Jack left him and took down the other. He shot the beast in it's hideous face and watched the green splatter showering out like a fountain.

"One down..." Jack said.

"Another down!" A rifle went off and Mac strolled up to his friend. He shot down the other as it was about to climb back up.

"That should be all of them for now. It seems like they all headed off down to the basement. We should be in the clear now." Mac reassured his friend.

*****

Meanwhile, only one floor away, the pure queen ordered her minions to go up. The human cattle had taken her prize and so she would have to make do with them instead. They were not as challenging as her own kind, but an easy battle means a well earned rest. She could take them down all by herself, but she had done enough for now. She would let her surviving hive members kill them, as long as one was dragged maimed and dying back to her for a feast.

She hissed menacingly and her troops clambered up the melted steel incline towards the green winged creature. She had encountered them before...strange things. They seemed to hold the cattle in it's stomach and would fly around before dumping them safely somewhere else. It was a useless animal. Even it's organs were strange, made of some hardened material instead of her won soft innards.

But that would not matter. She and her hive would take down the flying beast and devour the lowly cattle within.

She could smell at least four of them, but the hunters had a foul stench on it as well. She stopped and stared with her non-existing eyes at a stain on the wall beside her. It was from a hunter...the evil creatures. They pursued and hunted her kind for so many years...it was time to end it all. She would do away with all her enemies today! She could smell victory...

*****

The last of the Predator clan gathered on level two. They knew the humans were coming up and they were unknowingly bringing the swarm with them. A glorious battle was soon on it's way. All they had to do was wait until the bloodshed was brought to them. The group of four clenched their spears tightly and watched the holo-map and it's many symbols. Some tapped their fingers anxiously anticipating the final battle in this hunt. They would become great like the elders if they were victorious here. They had fought three whole hives and two separate armies of humans. They had lost many of their clan...good friends and warriors had fallen, but that only gave them an incentive to survive...to avenge the lost clansmen.

"Wait." The leader growled in his guttural language. The others nodded and took up positions. They had gathered around a hole in the ground, from what they knew of the humans, it would be a supply route for ships. They were only a floor away. "Soon." He growled, his mandibles flexing with excitement.

*****

Mac and Jack headed to the hatch until they heard hissing nearby.

"Dammit! Not again! These things are everywhere!" Jack pointed the barrel at the shiny black head which came up from beneath the ship. He shot carefully, making sure the alien's blood was far from the ships hull.

Another one crawled out to replace him, soon replaced by a twice as many, then doubled again.

"Shit!" Jack let loose a spray of lead into the oncoming horde. "Get inside!!"

Mac crawled to the open hatch and shot down the stragglers trying to get inside. "Jack!! Hurry up!"

"Be right with you!!" A continuous burst of fire ensued and many angered screeches, as well as a series of loud thuds. Jack cursed as he fumbled around, reloading. Mac covered him for the half minute it took to load another clip, then Jack unleased another spray into the black, insectoid crowd. Mac noticed a large black hand twitch behind Jack's leg.

"Watch out behind you!!" Mac roared. Jack cursed and stomped on the hand, breaking it. The alien squealed and was booted off of the ship. Mac gave support fire as Jack handled his back. He then turned back to the main force and joined Mac in taking them down.

"AAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHH!!" It came from inside. Mac ducked inside, not informing his friend who still fought bravely on the roof of the ship. Mac ran to Jess' side where she huddle up on the floor. She looked away from the mutilated corpse in the control panel. Even though the head was gone completely and the body was lacerated, Mac recognised the poor man somehow.

"Jerry...poor guy. No-one deserves that!" Mac wrapped an arm around Jess and calmed her down. "It's okay, you can handle this. We'll be fine! Look, I'll get rid of him." Mac dragged Jerry's body to the hatch and dangled it out. Just when he was about to let go, something powerful snatched it from him. Mac cursed and almost fell out of the ship, but caught himself on the door. The Queen snarled at him and grinned with red teeth. Jerry's organs slipped out between her fangs to fall down on her followers who gobbled it up hastily.

"Geez...You just keep popping up don't you?" Mac searched for his rifle but couldn't find it. He just remembered he left it inside. He turned to see the rifle lying on the floor. "Jess! Hand me the gun!" Mac roared.

Jess crawled over to the weapon but froze before she got there. Mac was about to say something when a heavy hand struck him. He was gripped in the mighty claws of the Queen and slammed into the floor. The large alien had stuck it's face into the cabin, as well as one arm. The ship pitched to one side due to the imbalance of weight. Everyone screamed...Even Jack.

_Jack! Shit! I left him out there!!_

Jack tripped over and slid down the wing. The aliens fell faster. He wrapped his fingers around the hand of the dead Predator, whose wrist blades were still planted firmly in the wing. He hung on for dear life and listened to the terrified screams and hisses of his enemies. He looked down at the Queen who was trying to squeeze into the ship. She withdrew her head from the cabin and stared at him. Jack hung on with one arm as he held the gun in the other. He lined up a shot and fired into her bony black face. The creature howled as it's front teeth were smashed and it's crest was punched full of holes. Something darted out with incredible speed and hit him. He never even saw it connect, but he saw it retract. Her tail, which ended in a bladed barb had struck his arm...the one grasping the hand hold. The whole arm detached and remained holding on, his body however slid down into the queens jaws.

Mac watched Jack fall into the fanged pit of the queens mouth. "NOOO!!" He roared, but was squeezed to the point of suffocation. He felt ribs creaking and his lungs compacting under the pressure.

"AAAGGHHH FUCK!!" He managed to yell as loud as possible. He said something else, but was drowned out by gunfire. The grip on his body relaxed and the Queen fell away from the ship, clinging to the wall next to it. As he began to collapse, Jess caught him, a fierce determination in her eyes.

"We'll get out of here! I promise! I may be a scientist...but I can still hold a gun!" Jess smiled and Mac grinned back, until he coughed up blood.

"Uh oh." Vanessa said. "We have a few extra guests up there on level two." She squinted at them. "The humanoid ones..."

"How many?" Mac asked, breathless.

"Um...I don't know...about...four?" Vanessa said.

"I can't take this much longer!" Mac studied his weapon. "We have only twenty rounds left. I don't suppose anyone else has a gun?" No-one responded. "I feared as much..." Two of the predators leapt down onto the ship. One was caught by the Queen and the two fought each other, despite the fight being one-sided. The other hurled it's spear at the queen and then ducked inside the ship. Mac fired point blank into it's chest, killing it instantly.

Two aliens crawled in and dragged the dead predator out into the open. Mac lined up a shot when a brilliant blue light flashed and blinded him. Blue flames lapped up at the side of the ship and incinerated a group of alien drones.

Mac dived out of the way and slammed the hatch shut. The battling creatures outside howled and roared as they fought mercilessly through the fire.

"What the hell was that?" Jess asked.

"I don't know, but it wrecked the ships hull. We could probably make it to the ground floor, but that would be it..." Vanessa bowed her head. "I guess we really are stuck here..."

The ship slowly crept up to the next floor where the other two predator lay in wait. They started to aim for the ship, but then the aliens set on them and they were distracted.

It was the perfect chance to try and get away. The ship hovered ever higher and finally reached the ground floor when the machine gave up. They slowly crept out and scanned the area. Corpses littered the floor. Every single patch of floor was drenched in the blood of something. They hurried out to the main foyer, where they found a number of human corpses, some of them skinned. There were also skulls and other horrid things. Vanessa remembered this place. It had been where she found a predator imitating her friend with some strange piece of equipment. It still gave her chills, the way the creature recorded Adam's dying words and used them to manipulate her.

The door had been smashed apart and was now only a gaping hole. They all charged out, not sure what they would find, but hopefully, no more of the xenomorphs or predators.

*****

INSIDE

The last predator cut down a whole row of aliens with his shoulder-mounted laser. The queen had duelled his partner, and not surprisingly, won. He was alone now. Hopelessly outnumbered and weak, he had no choice. He would have to retain his honour. He would not let these primitive beasts defeat him. He pressed a series of buttons on his wrist mechanism and waited. He sighed when he heard a beeping countdown.

'beep'

'beep'

'beep'

*****

The queen raised her hands victoriously. She could only see one enemy left, whereas her hive still numbered in dozens. She could hear an annoying noise. It was a shrill whine which repeated itself.

'beep'

'beep'

She cut down the last hunter with her tail and heard the beeping become erratic. It then became a sustained noise. Whatever it was, it hurt her. But not as much as what followed.

*****

'BOOOOOOOM!!!'

The group was knocked off their feet when the complex exploded. A haunting chorus of inhuman screams erupted from the wreckage as the alien horde spent their last moments crying in pain, or for help. The survivors stared incredulously at it.

"We...made...it..." Jess whispered.

"You can say that again." Mac looked into her eyes and a short silence followed, but suddenly...

"YES!!!"

"OH MY GOD!! WE DID IT!!"

"IT'S OVER!!"

Or so they thought...

I hope you have enjoyed the story so far. Please wait patiently for the final chapter, it will be up soon, but until then, please review.


	11. Dying Out

**11. Dying Out**

The sky turned an orange hue as the flames from the Weyland Yutani complex stretched up into the air.

The four survivors watched their former home and workplace collapse in a red and orange sea of hungry fire. All eyes were wide open, ringed in black and some of them, teary.

Jess collapsed into Mac's chest, weeping over the loss of her friends. Mac stroked her back and gazed at the flames. He swore he could see something moving around within, but that was impossible. Neither of those creatures was fire-proof. He turned away and led the others away. On their way, they passed a boulder, one which Vanessa somehow recognised.

"Shirley!!" Vanessa ran to the boulder, clinging to the hope that one of her squad mates managed to live. Her expectations were not met. She stumbled upon a corpse with only tattered scraps of flesh on it's neck, rather than a head. Blood and possibly brain matter were scattered all over the rock, staining a disgusting brown/red. Vanessa turned away and threw up, inciting the others to feel sick. They held it in while Vanessa emptied her barely filled stomach.

When she was finished vomiting, she grasped her stomach and looked to the others. "I'm hungry."

"Well, it would have been two days since we last ate...but all the food was in the complex." Mac frowned. And there are no ships around, so it will be a long while until we find anything."

"There is one thing we could eat..." Mark scratched frenziedly at his scar.

"Where?" Jess looked around searching for the source of food.

Mark coughed and looked down at what remained of Shirley. The others followed his gaze and Vanessa threw up again.

"Oh my god!! Mark, what the hell is wrong with you?!" Jess stared horrified at Marks proposed meal.

"Look! Four years back, I was trapped in a cave with two other guys. One of them had been shot, but didn't die until we made it in the cave. We had no food and the exits were blocked, so we ate the dead guy. Without doing that, I would not be here right now!" Mark looked to Mac for support.

Mac frowned at Mark, and then at the others, then at the body. "He's right. It is do or die right now. We won't have any food for days or even weeks, we need to do this."

"Mac, no! This is fucking sick!" Jess grabbed him by the hand and tried to drag him away.

"It's survival!" Mac muttered, walking over to the body. "We'll light a few branches, cook her and leave as fast as possible, then we can forget this ever happened, okay?" Mac's gaze bored into Jess like needles.

She opened her mouth to protest, but said nothing. She then looked to the ground and nodded.

"Alright. Mark, take these branches over there. Light them in the fire at the complex, then hurry back." Mark nodded and set off with the dry sticks.

After a hauntingly long two minutes, Mark returned with wooden candles. He threw them to the ground and they burned more. Mac threw the body into the fire and watched the skin go brown. After another sickeningly long silence, Mac stood up and announced. "Dinners ready." The joke was intended to lighten the mood, but did the exact opposite.

Jess sobbed uncontrollably and Vanessa hunched over grasping her stomach, trying to keep the bile in her stomach.

Mark and Mac put out the fire with water from a nearby puddle and then dragged the cooked corpse out. Mac slowly drew out his hunting knife and carved into the flesh of the dead soldier. As chunks of flesh were cut out, a sound similar to toast being cut was all that could be heard. Vanessa clenched her eyes shut and gritted her teeth.

"This is so gross! So wrong!!"

Mac handed a piece of arm to Jess. She reluctantly took it and stared at the burned skin. Her nose wrinkled at the awful smell. She put it up to her mouth and tensed, her teeth bared. She closed her eyes and bit down. The meat was tough and had to be gnawed to tear off a chunk. Jess made racking sobs as she chewed the human meat.

_I...am...eating...a person..._

The others tucked in, except for Vanessa, who refused to eat, despite her ravenous hunger. She watched the others as they rummaged though Shirley's body for edible parts. Mac started to pick meat off of one of her hands, as Mark tucked into a slice of thigh. Vanessa emptied her stomach one last time before giving in to her hunger. She crawled to Shirley and with teary eyes said "Sorry...I'm so sorry." She cut off a chunk from her calf and wolfed it down like an animal. Bile rose in her throat as the meat was going down and splashed into her mouth and all over the food. She spat out the mouthful, meat and all. She groaned and lay back against a rock.

"I can't eat it...I...I just can't!"

"Well, one bite is still something." Mac said as he wiped the blood from his face." He got to his feet and gazed at his companions. "We will get going now. We'll find a safer spot and then we rest."

The group stumbled and limped across the barren land, searching for somewhere to rest.

*****

BURNING WRECKAGE

The Weyland Yutani complex was no longer the mighty research centre it used to be. It was a smouldering mess of warped steel and charred, inhuman corpses. The artificial graveyard still echoed with the cries, growls and hisses of the alien species. All were dead...except for one...

One skeletal hand clawed at the bare earth with it's thin, bony fingers. It's claws scraped at the dirt and made little tracks. The dying queen looked around at her dead children. A wave of grief flooded what remained of her body, once mighty, now fragile and broken. Her legs were somewhere else, no longer attached to her. Her back spines were snapped and broken like twigs. One hand was mangled. She roared a sombresome song to her fallen allies and then screamed bloody murder for the ones who escaped.

She could smell them. Four of the cattle had escaped and were moving away slowly. She would enact revenge for her children...she would kill every last one of them!

The queen made a low hiss as she dragged herself out of the pit. She could sense her prey...they were still close. Without any hesitations, she set after them.

*****

The rag tag group marched on for what seemed like hours when all of a sudden, Vanessa fell to her knees, landing on all fours. She stared at the ground, sweat rolling down her forehead. Tears of exhaustion poured down her cheeks and she panted like a dog.

"I...I...I can't...go...any...further..." She wheezed through her raged gasps. She failed to hold herself up and fell on her face.

Mac and the others all sat down and helped Vanessa into a seated position. Her eyeliner was smudged from constant tears and her face make-up was wearing off, revealing her true skin colour underneath. Thankfully, her natural skin colour was still quite pale, so there was not a huge difference. Her straight black hair was a mess, some of it was glued to her face by sweat, the rest of it hung limply around her face, tangled and dirty. Her black uniform was torn, revealing pale flesh beneath.

The others looked similar, with torn clothes, messy hair and multitudes of cuts, grazes and bruises all over. Jess's blonde hair was stained crimson from a cut on her hairline. Her left arm held a large gash which still seeped fluid every now and then.

Mac's beard was crusted with dried blood, not all of it human. His body armour had large gashes and cuts and his uniform was worn, the fabric falling apart. Some of his ribs were broken and a wound on his stomach bled profusely. He bandaged it up with some of the supplies salvaged from the ship.

Mark was covered in slime and blood ever since he exploded out of an aliens innards. The acid wound did not spread too far, but the damage was still severe. Had his wound not been covered, his ribs would be in plain view, as well as his pelvis and some organs. The missing chunk was the size of a large shot put ball. It made it hurt terribly to walk, or bend or do pretty much anything.

The group were all weak, drained and unarmed. They needed rescue, but doubted if it would come. They had seen Kadinsky when he unveiled the plans of creating a super war-machine. The ultimate biological weapon. Fortunately, the evil plan was foiled. Every last one of those k strain aliens was gone. As for the other ones...

"If those creatures were native to this planet...couldn't there be more of them?" Mark asked.

"Not likely." Jess muttered. The number of those things we saw was so high...it would have been the entire population of them. They were performing a territorial battle amongst each other, meaning they would have used every last man to fight for their land." Jess looked at her feet. "Or at least I hope so..."

"Same here." Mac leaned back against a small rock. It was uncomfortable, but not as bad as what he had gone through in the complex.

"Well...we should rest for now. When Vanessa feels better, we will head off again.

The group nodded in agreement and lowered their heads, slowly drifting off into a nightmare-filled sleep.

A few hours later, Vanessa felt something touch her leg. It felt like an organic steel, if it was possible. She knew something was wrong. She slowly opened one eye and looked around. It was so dark that she could not make out anything. She looked up and couldn't even see stars in the sky, or even a moon. There was however, a reflective shine above her. Something splashed onto her face and she spluttered and coughed. A high pitched noise came from very close-by. It was like the sound made by a snake, only more aggressive. In an instant, she knew what was there. Her throat went dry and her heart stopped mid-beat. The darkness around her parted and a glistening set of fangs appeared over her.

"G-g-g-guys..." Vanessa stuttered. The others were still asleep, oblivious to the threat that was crawling around them.

The monstrously huge alien snarled. Something moved within her cage of teeth...a second mouth.

_Oh...fuck...someone please wake up!! Someone help me!! Oh no...We didn't bring a gun!! We don't have any weapons!!!_

One of the xenomorphs huge hands wrapped around her and lifted her off her feet, so that she dangled helplessly above the ground and under the two sets of jaws. Vanessa made a high pitched squeal which sounded like a tea kettle and the others were startled into consciousness.

"Shit!!" Mac leapt back and stared at the queen. She stared back at him.

Mark fumbled around in the dark for anything remotely useful as a weapon.

Jess whimpered like a scared little dog.

Vanessa cried as the queen tightened her grip until it was suffocating her. She wheezed and coughed as the air was crushed out her lungs. Her eyes squinted from the pain and her head rolled to one side.

"Don't worry, We'll help you!" Mac shouted. He hefted a rock which was similar in size to a brick and hurled it at the monster. The queen roared and swiped at him. Mac rolled away from the large hand as Mark hurled a rock from behind. The queen spun and Mac jabbed her with a large stick. She spun around again and grabbed the stick, snapping it effortlessly. Mac waved his arms as a distraction as Mark shoulder charged her spine. He bounced off of her exoskeleton and barley made her budge. He cursed loudly and grasped his shoulder.

"Guys..." Vanessa gasped. "Shirley...sniper...rifle...get..."

"What?!" Mac yelled. "Who is Shirley?!"

Vanessa pointed a shaky hand at Mac's stomach.

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean? Why did you point to my-" Mac paused. "Oh, I get it! She was that dead marine! Fuck!! Where was she?!" Mac looked around and grasped his hair, almost tearing it out in frustration. The queen hissed and he glared at it. "SHUT UP!!! LET ME THINK!!"

"Hurry!!" Vanessa screamed. She heard bones creak inside of her. She felt something come up her throat and she opened her mouth as a torrent of her own blood gushed out.

Mac looked into the distance and noticed the still glowing embers of the complex. "It was near there!! Nessa, just wait!! I'll be right back!!" Mac ran full tilt back the way they had come. "Mark!! Distract that ugly bitch for a while!"

Mark nodded and picked up another large rock. He smirked confidently, despite being outmatched. "You wanna dance bitch?" The queen cocked her head as if she did not understand. Mark laughed for a short time and grinned at his foe. "Well then...let's dance!"

The queen swung her huge hand and knocked him away before he could do anything. Mark remained still. The queen roared and opened her jaws wide, slowly placing Vanessa inside her cavernous mouth.

Meanwhile, Mac was nearly at the campsite. He was only twenty metres away. He could see the ashes from the campfire and a long piece of metal. He sped up and then dived onto the gun. It was heavy to lift but he still managed. The adrenaline gave him an extra surge of energy and he thundered up the path made by his own footsteps in the loose gravel.

"Hold on...I'm nearly there..."

Back at the fight, the queen spat on her defeated opponent. Mark groaned and tried to move, but failed. Jess was paralysed with fear and would not budge. That left only the queen and her trapped prey, which was now only inches from her huge fangs. Vanessa could smell the rotten stench of death and felt the misty breath of the beast. When she felt the first contact with the queens fangs, she screamed louder than ever before. The smooth fang slid across her cheek as her head slid inside the first set of jaws. The inner mouth quivered and snapped excitedly.

"HELP!!! SAVE ME!!" She wailed as saliva dribbled down her neck. Her shoulder was cut by a fang just by sliding past. If the queen bit down, she would be sliced in half easier than a knife through butter. Her blood dripped down into the queens mouth making her roar hungrily.

*****

Mac could see the queen even though he was far away. He noticed her lifting something into her mouth. It was Vanessa! Mac's eyes widened. He had to act now or she would die. Mac shouldered the rifle and looked down the scope. In the crosshair, he could plainly see the queen, her jaws open wide, fangs dripping with saliva.

"Say cheese mother-fucker!" Mac lined up a clear shot.

His finger tightened on the trigger and sweat poured down his brow.

*****

Vanessa screamed. The inner mouth was only a foot away. At any moment it could shoot out and make her head explode into tiny bloody pieces. Vanessa closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable. Last time she looked, she could not see Mac anywhere, she was done for. The queen would eat her and tear the others apart. It was over...all over...

'KA-BOOM'

*****

The queen froze. A shower of dull green flashed past it's face. She could taste it...it was her own blood. She had been attacked, but by what?

She lowered her head and sniffed. The smell of gunpowder was strong. She had been shot by one of the fire sticks the cattle used. She ran a hand over her chest and felt the gaping hole in her torso. Her lower body clung on by tiny strips of flesh which split quickly. She became bifurcated. She screamed out in pain as her organs spilled out around her. Her meal fell out of her mouth and moved away quickly.

Vanessa leapt over the puddle of acid and joined Jess as they both ran to Marks side.

"What happened?!"

"I don't know!"

The queen made light growls and her lips quivered frenziedly, as if she were cold. One hand reached out unsteadily. It spread the fingers out and tried to grab them, despite being three metres too far away. The hand then clenched into a fist and slowly dropped. She screeched loudly and acid poured out of her cavernous mouth, melting her gums and corroding her teeth. If she had eyes, she would be wincing, but fortunately, the hideous creature could not show any expressions remotely human.

Mark was helped into a seated position and the trio stared at the death throes of the once mighty queen.

*****

The queen roared miserably. All her prosects of ruling...of winning the great war...of glorious, brutal victory...all her hopes were smashed apart in front of her. Her mouth snapped open and shut reflexively with each pained breath. Her internal organs spewed forth from the massive wound and the ground around her became a crater as her blood did it's job. She felt the ground around her become weak. It would soon collapse and she would fall under the surface into whatever lay underneath the ground. Her life was quickly fading and the pain was increasing. She screamed to the skies, mourning the loss of her hive, her land, her crown...and now her life.

Defeat was for the weak...so why was she lying here in a pool of her own blood, legless and disembowelled. It made no sense to her. She was supposed to live on, but now...with her death, the xenomorphs would become extinct!

She knew she could not hold on anymore and she lay back, waiting for death to claim her. She had at least conquered the hunters...and the k strain scum. She had caused so much destruction, but even she was surpassed...and by a measly herd of cattle. It was shameful.

*****

The trio winced as the queen gave one last agonised cry. It then went limp, it's mouth open in an eternal scream.

Shaken, Vanessa hugged the others and cried. A few minutes later, Mac returned, holding the large silver rifle in his bloodied hands.

A teary reunion ensued and the group just watched the lifeless corpse until the sun rose.

*****

After a few hours, the group began to move again. They made little ground in the long time they took. By midday, they had only moved a kilometre away from the dead queen. It was clear that they would starve before reaching any more food. Unless they were rescued...they were doomed.

By sunset, the group just watched the sky, waiting for rescue. It was then, that they saw a ship. It was only a small vessel, but it would take them all to safety. It was flying low to the ground for some reason. They all screamed and waved and ran about, they had even lit a fire with some found branches. The ship descended and landed gently near them.

The hatch opened slowly and a hand flopped out.

"You!!" The pilot roared. "You ruined everything!!!" An elderly man crawled up to see them. He was in bad shape and near death, but alive.

"Kadinsky! You bastard!" Mac dashed forward, fists bared.

"No no no...bad little man!" Kadinsky pulled out a pulse rifle and aimed it squarely at the marine. "I'll make you pay for destroying my babies! Pay with your life!!" Mac took another step forward and flinched when the insane doctor pulled the trigger.

Nothing happened.

The doctor stared at the weapon in disbelief. "What?!"

"There isn't even a clip in there." Mac pointed out. He walked casually up to him and grabbed the man by the throat. Kadinsky shrieked as he was lifted out of the ship. "So...what are you gonna do now?" Mac asked, a wicked smile on his face.

"Please!! I'll do anything!!"

"Fine." Mac dropped him on the ground and kicked him in the face. "Stay here and starve!" Mac allowed the others into the ship and then picked up the empty rifle. "Keep your toy! It might give you some reassurance when you slowly starve. You will suffer just like the poor people you betrayed back there!" Mac threw it at his enemy.

"No! Please!!" Kadinsky tried to stand up, but fell quickly.

"If any of your 'babies' survived...I hope they're hungry for pathetic old men!" Mac stepped into the ship.

"No!!"

"Go fuck yourself!" Mac closed the cabin and sank into the comfortable chairs. Vanessa stared at the controls for a few minutes before starting it up. The ship rose steadily and soon passed through the dense clouds.

"We're going home..." Mac sighed.

"We're finally safe!" Jess hugged Mac and the two laughed. It was the laugh only made when someone survived the impossible. It felt good to do that laugh.

Everyone relaxed and watched the cursed planet get farther and farther away.

Everyone was quiet, but Mark stopped the silence. "Do you hear something?"

A small door behind them slid open and a loud hiss erupted from inside. All eyes fell on the hideous, skeletal insect that stuck it's head into the cabin.

"!!!"

**THE END...**

Well, that's it. I hope you enjoyed the story, I know I did. Thanks to everyone who read this and especially those few who reviewed. I may write another AVP fic later, but I haven't got any ideas at the moment. Anyway, please review, tell me what you thought. Was it good, bad, all right? Whatever you think, say it.


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